Mayor Nic Hunter is set to relaunch the city of Lake Charles Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities, following a unanimous, 7-0, vote from the Lake Charles City Council at their regularly scheduled meeting this week.

The council’s action adopted an ordinance authorizing the city of Lake Charles to enter into an agreement with Families Helping Families of Southwest Louisiana, creating the opportunity for the local nonprofit organization to provide support staff services for the Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities.

The commission, put on pause in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes of 2020, was formed in 1983 in order to expand opportunities of persons with physical or mental disabilities. The Commission works with individuals, organizations, businesses and professionals to strengthen public understanding of the needs and potential contributions of persons with disabilities.

“A fully inclusive city is a healthy and growing city,” Hunter said. “The Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities provides valuable perspective and feedback on the needs of individuals and families living with disabilities in our community. We want to ensure that we are providing the infrastructure and resources necessary for a healthy quality of life for all residents. We are thrilled to enter into this partnership with Families Helping Families, a long-standing local nonprofit with a proven record of success.”

For 30 years, Families Helping Families of Southwest Louisiana has been serving individuals with disabilities as well as their families. Their mission is to enable and empower individuals with disabilities and their families by providing information, referrals, education, training, peer support and advocacy skills. Their belief is that all individuals with disabilities should have the opportunity to attend school, work and play in their own community.