The Algiers Economic Development Foundation (AEDF) will host its 2025 Algiers Holiday Bonfire & Concert on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Algiers Batture, 200 Morgan Street, New Orleans. This popular, family-friendly event brings neighbors together with music, culture and community pride.
However, the bonfire is more than just a seasonal event. It has become a symbol of AEDF’s efforts to maintain year-round momentum for small businesses, create workforce opportunities, and boost neighborhood vitality on the West Bank. It serves as a visible reminder of AEDF’s broader mission: to help Algiers businesses start, grow and succeed so families can prosper and communities can thrive.
Since its founding, AEDF has established itself as the voice, advocate and connector for Algiers businesses. That impact is visible in storefronts that anchor our corridors, in entrepreneurs who access financing and mentorship, and in policy achievements that eliminate barriers to growth. Over the years, AEDF has played an equally important role as a convener, coach and champion, bringing people together, offering practical support, and advocating for conditions that foster commerce and improve quality of life.
From the start, AEDF has understood that real economic development isn’t just about buildings or balance sheets, it’s about people. That philosophy guides every initiative we lead.
One of AEDF’s most impactful initiatives is the Algiers Career & Educational Development (ACED) program, created in collaboration with Sen. Gary Carter. ACED prepares high school students and young adults with vital workplace readiness skills, including communication, teamwork and time management, while also offering exposure to in-demand careers through site visits and employer engagement.
Businesses throughout the West Bank need dependable, prepared talent. Young people require accessible pathways to quality jobs. ACED fills that gap. By combining classroom instruction with hands-on experience, the program enables students to move forward confidently while helping local companies fill their workforce needs with local talent. It’s a win-win that benefits both families and businesses.
AEDF also recognizes that each business has its own unique journey. That’s why our technical assistance is practical, responsive and personal. We don’t try to be everything to everyone — instead, we connect entrepreneurs to the right resources at the right time.
This involves helping businesses access capital through community lenders, identify procurement opportunities with government and institutional contracts, and leverage RFQs and RFPs to increase their revenue streams. “How-to” sessions on topics like marketing, leasing and HR provide practical tools. It also means connecting them with vetted accountants, attorneys and marketing professionals who can strengthen their foundations. Additionally, it includes assisting them in enhancing their digital presence and financial systems by directing them to experts and programs designed to build capacity.
Just as importantly, AEDF follows through — whether a business is opening its first location, expanding to a second or working to stabilize cash flow, we provide coaching, connections and accountability because execution is what turns plans into jobs and storefronts into landmarks.
Relationships are the lifeblood of small businesses, and AEDF ensures those connections happen. Our business mixers and networking events bring together owners, investors, lenders, and civic leaders to share ideas, form partnerships and unlock opportunities.
These gatherings are not just social, they are strategic. Sector-focused meetups enable peers to address common challenges. Cross-neighborhood exchanges connect the broader West Bank business community. AEDF also encourages local businesses to host these events, generating exposure and energy in spaces where commerce happens daily.
Equally important, we highlight success stories. By showcasing entrepreneurs who hire locally, renovate unused spaces, or innovate in their fields, AEDF encourages others to establish roots and grow right here in Algiers. Our message is clear: If you want to build a business with roots, AEDF is your first call.
Strong economies rely on robust infrastructure. AEDF collaborates with public partners to streamline processes, improve streetscapes, enhance signage and wayfinding, and ensure Algiers receives its fair share of investment. From ferry terminal signage coordination to corridor upgrades to small-business policy improvements, we work behind the scenes so owners can focus on what they do best: serving customers and employing neighbors.
Algiers is both a historic gateway to New Orleans and a contemporary center for entrepreneurship. When a business opens in Algiers, it does more than sell products and services. It creates jobs, keeps dollars circulating locally, mentors the next generation and strengthens community identity.
AEDF’s integrated approach, culture that gathers us, workforce that equips us, services that strengthen us, and advocacy that empowers us, translates into tangible results for families and the broader regional economy.
Algiers is rising — together. Algiers Economic Development Foundation (AEDF) is proud to light the way.
LaVerne Toombs is the interim executive director of Algiers Economic Development Foundation. She may be reached via email at ltoombs@algierseconomic.com.
