The recipient entity's physical address:
           15007 Emory Rd
New Orleans, LA 70128

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           15007 Emory Rd
New Orleans, LA 70128

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  2782

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $500

What type of request is this?  General Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Fiscal Sponsor: Operation Restoration (Legal Applicant)

Executive Leadership & Key Personnel:

Syrita Steib, President & CEO

Address: 2021 Lakeshore Dr., Suite 410, New Orleans, LA 70122

Contact: syrita@or-nola.org | 504.723.1850

Monica Landry, Interim Board Chair (Innovative Strategic Solutions)

Address: 2021 Lakeshore Dr., Suite 410, New Orleans, LA 70122

Victoria Wylie, Board Secretary

Address: 2021 Lakeshore Dr., Suite 410, New Orleans, LA 70122

Board Members:

Judge Sandra Cabrina Jenkins, Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeals

Topeka Sam, The Ladies of Hope Ministries

Sandra Diggs-Miller, Entergy

Dr. Ambika Prasad, Tulane University

Lori Green, Esq., Former Federal Prosecutor

Program Lead: Raíces Nuevas (Fiscally Sponsored Entity)

Governing Board & Officers:

Julio Bermudez, President & Executive Director (Key Personnel)

Address: 15007 Emory Rd, New Orleans, LA 70128

Shaq Cosse, Vice-President

Address: 15007 Emory Rd, New Orleans, LA 70128

Sydney Houlemard, Secretary

Address: 15007 Emory Rd, New Orleans, LA 70128

Jonathan Turner, Treasurer

Address: 15007 Emory Rd, New Orleans, LA 70128

Jaimee Mckenzie, Officer

Address: 15007 Emory Rd, New Orleans, LA 70128

Aida Perrier, Officer

Address: 15007 Emory Rd, New Orleans, LA 70128

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           Raíces Nuevas, under the fiscal sponsorship of Operation Restoration, is seeking supplemental state funding to expand the Garifuna Voices Fellowship, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to the preservation of Garifuna culture—a heritage recognized by UNESCO as a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity." New Orleans is home to one of the largest Garifuna populations in the world, yet this unique Afro-Indigenous community remains one of the most underserved and overlooked in the state’s cultural landscape.

The Garifuna Voices Fellowship addresses a critical crisis: the potential loss of the Garifuna language, music, and history among the youth of Louisiana. Our project bridges the generational gap by connecting Garifuna youth with community elders to document oral histories, migration journeys, and ancestral traditions. By providing these young leaders with the tools of digital archiving, audio-visual storytelling, and cultural education, we are transforming them into the guardians of their own heritage. This project serves a direct public purpose by investing in the human capital of Louisiana. By providing at-risk youth with a pathway to stable employment and education, the program reduces the long-term societal costs associated with poverty and delinquency.

The initiative is focused on measurable outcomes: increased graduation rates, improved job placement statistics, and enhanced community safety. Through the robust fiscal oversight of Operation Restoration, Raíces Nuevas will utilize state funds to build a more resilient workforce, fostering a culture of work, responsibility, and achievement among New Orleans youth. This program is an investment in the future economic health and social stability of our state.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Professional Services. . . $450
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $50
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $0
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $0

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          Not Applicable

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          The public purpose of Raíces Nuevas, in partnership with Operation Restoration, is to foster social stability and economic self-sufficiency among at-risk youth in the Greater New Orleans area. By utilizing state funds, the entity aims to implement a rigorous framework of workforce development, literacy enhancement, and civic mentorship.
This initiative serves a critical public interest by addressing the root causes of youth unemployment and educational stagnation. The program is designed to transform at-risk individuals into productive, law-abiding citizens who are prepared to enter Louisiana’s labor market. By providing structured environments for professional skill-building and academic recovery, we reduce the long-term fiscal burden on the state associated with poverty and restorative justice.
Furthermore, the entity promotes community resilience by bridging the gap between high-need youth populations and the essential resources required to achieve career success. Our purpose is to ensure that every participant develops a strong work ethic, financial literacy, and a commitment to local community improvement, thereby strengthening the social and economic fabric of our state.

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          The primary objective is to expand opportunities for all Louisiana youth by equipping them with the tools necessary for upward mobility and responsible citizenship. Our goals include providing 70% of participants with professional soft-skills training, including resume building, interview preparation, and digital literacy, ensuring they are competitive in the modern economy. To improve literacy and graduation rates through targeted tutoring and educational advocacy, meeting or exceeding state-mandated standards. To foster a sense of duty through 500+ hours of community service projects, encouraging participants to take an active, positive role in the governance and upkeep of their neighborhoods. To strengthen social cohesion by teaching participants the history of local industry and community leadership, ensuring they understand their role within the broader context of Louisiana’s unique heritage and future growth, To track and achieve high rates of job placement or enrollment in higher education/trade certification programs following completion of the initiative.

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           The entity estimates a one-year performance period for the initial implementation and completion of the proposed milestones. This timeline allows for a full academic cycle of tutoring, a comprehensive summer workforce intensive, and quarterly community service benchmarks to ensure all stated objectives are met and documented for state audit.

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                 

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
              

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
               

          What is the nature of the relationship? 

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               


Contact Information
name:  Julio Bermudez 
                                       address:  15007 Emory Rd
                                       phone:  5043804965
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  julio@raicesnuevas.org
                                       relationship to entity:  Board Chair.