St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation Releases 2020 Annual Review
ST. BERNARD PARISH, LA – St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) has released its 2020 Annual Review. Highlighted parish-wide wins included the announcement of the Port of New Orleans’ $1.5b expansion into St. Bernard Parish, groundbreaking of construction on ASR Group/Domino Sugar’s new storage facility, guiding the community through Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and small business grant opportunities, continuing programs such as Grow St. Bernard, Shop Small Week, & Startup St. Bernard, and creating a “Shop Local” directory for parish residents. Internal wins included a website overhaul, the appointment of a new Executive Director, and the bolstering of site selection platforms for developers to utilize.
In overcoming the trials of COVID-19, SBEDF was able to directly connect residents and stakeholders to state leadership. Both Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy spoke via webinar on policy to aid the people and businesses of St. Bernard, including Louisiana’s Main Street Recovery Program and PPP. Other community successes included support of recovery efforts in southwest Louisiana, access to completing the U.S. Census via Nunez Community College, and an uptick in residential construction.
“While 2020 was tougher than any of us could have imagined, the people of St. Bernard stood by each other and persevered. Our community will prove stronger and more well equipped for growth in the future because of this time,” said Meaghan McCormack, Executive Director of SBEDF. McCormack, who took the post in April of 2020, is optimistic about the near-future: “When you look at the Port of New Orleans’ potential project in our parish, the success our businesses have had in keeping their lights on, and the massive amount of infrastructure improvements docketed for the coming years, it's easy to see the light at the end of tunnel; St. Bernard is ready to continue its boom.”
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About St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation
St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) is the official economic development organization and public-private partnership of St. Bernard Parish formed to create and retain jobs, build prosperity, and improve quality of life. To learn more about SBEDF and how the organization works to foster business attraction, retention and expansion, neighborhood revitalization, small business assistance, and talent and workforce development in St. Bernard Parish, visit sbedf.org.