Blog

As September comes to Louisiana, things begin to pick up. Schools have opened, football teams have begun their seasons, and (fingers crossed) cool fronts are heading our way. For our state, and specifically us in Acadia Parish, the month also is important as the celebration of one of our most influential crops: rice! That’s right!Read more

2020 has sure thrown a few curveballs – one thing is for sure, we need YOU to fill out the 2020 Census! The census is required by the United States Constitution, which calls for an “actual enumeration” once a decade since 1790. Census data is used to distribute billions of dollars in federal funding. ForRead more

Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards and Secretary Don Pierson of Louisiana Economic Development announced an e-commerce initiative to empower the online performance of Louisiana’s small businesses, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office. The goal of LASmallBizOnline.com – with support from Shopify, a global commerce company – is making Louisiana firms more competitive during andRead more

The Acadia Parish Chamber joins state & regional partners to outline framework to re-open economy after the COVID-19 pandemic struck our state of Louisiana. President and CEO, Amy Thibodeaux comments, “It’s been over a month since we began this unthinkable ride we now know as the Coronavirus Pandemic. It’s a moment I have been dwellingRead more

April 01, 2020 Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced a new Louisiana Loan Portfolio Guaranty Program, which will offer loans of up to $100,000 to Louisiana small businesses of fewer than 100 employees that are impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. To help Main Street and rural businesses sustain operations, the loans will require no paymentsRead more

Over one-fifth of Americans are directly employed in retail and hospitality, including stores, bars and restaurants, tourism, and entertainment. That’s more than 32 million people working in an industry that’s currently being shaped by widespread closures and layoffs. Our small businesses need us now more than ever. Remember when they sponsored your child’s recreation team?Read more

**Updated March 30, 2020** Please note that as our nation and state take the necessary steps to address COVID-19 in Louisiana, the Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce will do the same. All scheduled meetings are on hold, and our staff will be working remotely as much as possible as we all work together to prevent theRead more

SMALL BUSINESS PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM **Updated 4/27/20** Full Borrower Fact Sheet from U.S. Treasury Overview The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) authorizes up to $349 billion plus an additional $321 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. All loan terms will be the same for everyone. The PPPRead more

COMPASS HEALTH – Amid the current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak, Compass Health remains committed to passionately serving the mental health needs of our community. The sense of uncertainty with what’s to come as well as the isolation that can accompany social distancing have the potential to negatively impact our emotional and mental health.  Even more soRead more

The Acadia Parish Chamber, along with regional partners, One Acadiana, are monitoring federal policies being discussed and implemented in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Below is information on recent federal actions to provide relief to America’s small businesses as of the evening of March 25. **The CARES Act was passed on Friday, March 27,Read more