Four Regional Economic Development organizations in the hurricane impacted areas of Southeast and Southwest Louisiana have joined together to support efforts for a unified disaster aid appropriation for southeast and southwest Louisiana’s recovery. The four groups urge the U.S. Congress to join with the Louisiana Congressional Delegation to secure funding so the area can rebuild. In two years, Louisiana’s citizens and businesses located along the Gulf of Mexico have been devastated by Hurricanes: Laura (Category 4), Delta (Category 2), Zeta (Category 3), and Ida (Category 4).

Vexus Fiber, a leading fiber service provider in Louisiana and Texas, announced that it is bringing its 100% fiber-to-the-home network to Lake Charles, Sulphur and Westlake, LA. 

The year 2020 changed how we did everything and this year’s Volunteer of the Year was with us every step of the way – offering support and advice – always letting us know that things were going to be okay, we were going to figure it out, and hard work solves most issues.

The 2020 Civic Service Award was given to Jim Rock of the Lake Area Industry Alliance by George Swift, President/CEO of the Chamber SWLA and 2021 Chamber SWLA Chair Jim Giffin

The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance/Chamber SWLA announces the addition of two staffers who will lead Operation HandUP -- a new agency initiative that will provide technical assistance to small and disadvantaged businesses in need of operational support.

The Chamber SWLA Board of Directors has adopted a policy position calling on state leaders to end the federal unemployment enhancement payments before their planned expiration in September.

Southwest Louisiana has been adversely impacted by huge amounts of rain this week. Both businesses and homeowners -- who have been in recovery mode since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020, and the winter storm earlier this year -- are now contending with 100-year flood levels. If there's ever been a locale that needs federal and state help, it is Lake Charles, Cameron, and other areas within the five parish area (Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jeff Davis parishes).

National Small Business Week is celebrated in the United States the first week of May each year. The SWLA Economic Development Alliance is joining in support of small businesses by promoting a new, online program to help small businesses called SizeUp!  

The service is available for free to all local businesses www.allianceswla.org/SizeUp. SizeUp delivers powerful market research and business intelligence so Southwest Louisiana businesses can make data driven decisions using analysis that has historically only been available to big corporations.