Magnolia Business Alliance

This March, the New Orleans BioInnovation Center will open its doors to a new generation of innovators from Louisiana's burgeoning Life Science Community. Situated between the Greater New Orleans Biosciences Economic Development District and the New Orleans Medical District, on the 1400 block of Canal, the center offers 66, 000 square feet of state of the art wet-lab, office and conference space. Designed to cultivate and conceive new ideas for bio-innovation, the Center exists among a community made up of hospitals, medical universities, research centers and biotech businesses. The Center itself can house dozens of companies, providing the infrastructure to support the day-to-day functions of company research and business. The Center's design provides a close network of the region's leading researchers and innovators and promotes collaboration within the life science community.

Based in Hammond, La., OPTIONS is a local and private nonprofit agency providing various services to people with developmental disabilities and their families who live and work in the community. The agency was founded in 1989 and provides community homes and supported living services, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The agency provides services to people with mental disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, Down syndrome, blindness, hearing and physical impairments and other developmental disabilities. Its candidates and residents are employed by local businesses, including the First Guaranty Bank, Wal-Mart, Trey Yuen and the Liquid Container. In addition, OPTIONS employs the other candidates to do contract work, such as lawn maintenance, janitorial work and assembling work at its own workshop.