Washington Watch

Below is a list (not exhaustive) of resources for businesses impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

Support for Florida

• Residents in need of information or resources should call the State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-342-3557. English, Spanish and Creole speakers are available to answer questions.

Support for Georgia

• Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene.

Support for North Carolina  

• Residents can visit: ncdps.gov/helene to get information and additional assistance.
• Residents can get in touch with loved ones by calling 2-1-1 or visiting unitedwaync.org to add them to search and rescue efforts.  
• Mountain BizWorks announces a rapid recovery loan program to assist Western North Carolina small businesses in recovering from the devastating impacts of Tropical Storm Helene. The WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund

 Support for South Carolina

• Residents with questions on Hurricane Helene can call the state’s toll-free hotline, open 24 hours a day, at 1-866-246-0133.
• Residents who are dependent on medical equipment at home and who are without power due to Helene may be eligible for a medical needs shelter. Call the state’s Department of Public Health Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for more information. 

Support for Tennessee

• Residents can call 1-800-824-3463 to report a missing person. Callers should be prepared to provide as much information as possible including names, phone numbers, vehicle identification and last known whereabouts. 
• Counties have started establishing donation centers. For the evolving list, visit TEMA’s website.

 Support for Virginia

• For more information on Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit vaemergency.gov,  the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Facebook page , fema.gov/disaster/4831 and facebook.com/FEMA. 
• In coordination with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and officials in impacted counties and cities, FEMA will be opening Disaster Recovery Centers soon. At a Disaster Recovery Center, you can get help applying for federal assistance, update your application and learn about other resources available.

The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Disaster Assistance:

The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster assistance loan programs offer low-interest loans to help businesses and homeowners recover from declared disasters. Small businesses, homeowners, renters and private nonprofit organizations who are located in a declared disaster area and meet other criteria depending on the type of loan may be eligible. Disaster loans must broadly be used for:

• Losses not covered by insurance or funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for both personal and business.
• Business operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred

The following SBA disaster loans are available to businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene:

• Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): Funding to small businesses and nonprofits located in a declared disaster area which have suffered substantial economic injury, meaning the business is unable to meet financial obligations and pay its regular and necessary operating expenses. EIDL provides the necessary working capital to help small businesses impacted by a disaster survive until normal operations resume.
• Business physical disaster loans: Loans up to $2 million to qualified businesses and nonprofit organizations to cover repairs and replacement of physical assets damaged in a declared disaster not fully covered by insurance. Loan proceeds may be used for the repair or replacement of real property, machinery, equipment, fixtures, inventory and leasehold improvements.
• Home disaster loans: Loans up to $500,000 for homeowners and $100,000 for renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances.
• Individuals must apply for physical damage loans by late November or early December and economic injury loans by late June or early July depending on the state.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Assistance:

Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in the designated areas should apply for assistance, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.    There are three ways to apply for FEMA assistance: 

1. Calling FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. 
2. Online by visiting disasterassistance.gov.
3. Downloading and applying on the FEMA App.