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Gulf & Main Magazine

Businesses Encouraged to Utilize Resources for Irma Recovery

Sep 12, 2017 07:31AM ● By Kevin

Hurricane Irma's current location as of Sept. 12, 7 a.m. Image courtesy of Google Crisis.

The Small Business Association offers resources for businesses recovering from natural disasters. In light of Hurricane Irma hitting Southwest Florida this past weekend, we are providing these resources for local businesses in the area.

All information below is courtesy of articles and resources appearing on and provided by SBA.gov:

Get financial assistance after a disaster

When a disaster hits your small business, first contact FEMA to apply for financial assistance. They can provide money for housing along with other personal expenses including food, clothing and medicine.

The SBA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture provide low-interest loans for damaged and destroyed assets in a declared disaster. These include repair and replacement costs for real estate, personal property, machinery, equipment, inventory, and business assets.

Disaster assistance loans

The SBA has outlined many 2017 Hurricane Recovery efforts via loans and grants. Click here to learn more, or check below to see if one of these loans apply.

Other sources of disaster aid

Disaster cleanup

Florida Division of Emergency Management

2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100
(850) 413-9969
(850) 488-1016 FAX

For more information and resources, contact SBA's Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or [email protected].

You can also receive local business counseling to determine the best way to prepare for emergencies and the next step when disaster strikes.

SBA Disaster Assistance Program