Jacqueline Higginbotham recalls the feeling she had after assisting several area residents apply for and receive a home loan, only to see the buyers go into foreclosure.

“I had worked at the city (Lake Charles) for 15 years assisting with down payments and closing cost assistance through community development programs. The people who experienced foreclosure were not prepared to sustain.

"That tugged at my heart to see people work hard for something and lose it. They were paper ready, but not mind ready. As a result, I wanted to help people,” Higginbotham said.

Last week was National Economic Development Week.

It’s good to reflect on this annually, but for us at The SWLA Economic Development Alliance, it’s our focus every day and every week. Many folks ask what is involved in growing our economy. There are many facets. The foundation of it all is regionalism.
Our service area is the five parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jeff Davis. Without strong bonds among the cities and parishes, we cannot fully prosper. Our workforce comes from throughout our region and our trade area is basically the 310,000 people in our five parishes. No one town or parish can be competitive standing alone. So the Alliance stands for unity and regionalism.

Small Business Month was birthed by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). Initially, the agency promoted small business week, but over time the designation was extended to the whole month nationwide.

We all take this time to celebrate the work, innovation, and spirit of small business owners. Without this group of businesses, the country would suffer from a lack of job opportunities, loss of commerce, and more importantly, the example of people living the American Dream.

A community can have a significant impact on the quality of life of its residents. From promoting physical and mental health to providing economic opportunities, a thriving community can create an environment in which people can flourish. In this article, we will explore some of the ways in which a community can improve the quality of life of its members.