CLECO has donated $5,000 to the SWLA Alliance Foundation to address the critical issues facing our region: business recruitment, and business retention and expansion.

Southwest Louisiana Credit Union is donating $25,000 to the SWLA Alliance Foundation over the next five years to address the critical issues facing our region: business recruitment, and business retention and expansion. 

The second rack was delivered to the Salvation Army located at 3020 Legion Street in Lake Charles. “We are so excited to be a part of this community in Lake Charles. We want to thank our community of SWLA for helping us raise funding over the Christmas season that we are using to increase our Social Service programs in order to give back. The bike rack we received will help community members who come to our location for help find a place to safely park their bikes. Construction will begin in April for our Center of Hope Shelter. Once construction is completed, the bike rack will allow residents of the shelter who use their bike for transportation to and from work a place to confidently store their bikes,” - Lt. LeAnna Marion of The Salvation Army

Cheniere Energy Foundation has donated $100,000 to fund the third round of the SWLA Alliance’s “Pathway to Small Business Recovery” Grant Program. To date, over 100 small businesses have received $3,000 to help them recover after last year’s Hurricanes and the COVID-19 shutdown within our region. (Pictured: Michelle McInnis, SWLA Economic Development Alliance Foundation; Amy Miller, Local & Governmental Affairs for Cheniere Energy; Laura Ferrell, Governmental and Public Affairs Louisiana for Cheniere Energy; and George Swift, President/CEO of the SWLA Economic Development Alliance.

The Quality of Life Task Force of the SWLA Economic Development Alliance is distributing bike racks in high cyclist areas in our region. The first round of bike racks was greatly delayed by Covid-19 and then the dual storms of 2020. The first three racks of ten are now out in the community with the remaining seven to be put out by the end of the year.

The SWLA Alliance’s “Pathway to Small Business Recovery” Grant Program (initially made possible by a $150,000 seed grant from the Sempra Energy Foundation) has been picked up for a second round of funding provided by the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana. During the first funding cycle, fifty local small businesses were awarded $3,000 each.

This year’s Chamber SWLA LegisGator was held virtually in partnership with KPLC TV.