St. Augustine Society, a lay ministry outreach of Catholic parishioners in the Youngstown area, is pleased to announce the launching of Café Augustine, a jobs-readiness program to be located in the Newport Branch of the Mahoning County Library.
      This Café brings young adults, ages 18-24, who are disconnected from the working world to learn life-long skills to obtain and rise through the ranks of gainful employment. Along with life-long skills, students will learn self-discipline, how to manage and set goals and most of all to believe in themselves and their abilities.
      The public will be invited to meet, eat, and inspire Café Augustine students who will learn to operate a working lunch spot. After succeeding in this teaching workplace, students are then ready to be hired by commercial and institutional food service providers, or they may be inspired to seek further academic/technical education.
      Café Augustine was inspired by and will be patterned after a similar operation called Café Reconcile in New Orleans. Technical support will be received from Urban Strategies and from Café Reconcile. Since 2000, over 1000 students have completed training and have gone on to successful employment in the food service industry. View www.cafereconcile.org to see for yourself how this outreach to our youth can make a difference.
      On Tues., June 9, retired Sheriff Randall Wellington will host a wine and cheese tasting event, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hall in Youngstown, where you will become aquainted with the dynamic neighborhood mission of Café Augustune.
      Come and join the founder of this social outreach, a positive visionary for our youth, Reverend Edward Brienz, who will introduce you to the current leaders and successful graduates of Café Reconcile, who will travel here from New Orleans for this special event. Learn about this program, that can make a difference to many youth in our community.
      Café Augustine will not be just another restuarant. It will be operated as a sheltered workshop and life-skills training ground for many of our 6,000+ youth of the city and county, who have somehow become disconnected from the working world.
      Be a part of this new venture that has been proven to change and save lives. For more information or to purchase tickets call 330-792-6646.