Louisiana Economic Development’s leader wants owners of flood-affected Acadiana businesses to know help is available.
LED Secretary Don Pierson met with community leaders at the LITE Center before starting a tour of flood-affected businesses in Crowley, Abbeville, New Iberia and Youngsville.
Pierson said Wednesday “great federal resources” were now available at the U.S. Small Business Association’s business recovery centers in Louisiana, including one at the Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise Center on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus.
During the tour, Sec. Pierson; Director of Small Business and Community Services Pat Witty; Small Business Administration Public Information Officer Susheel Kumar; and 1A staff met with affected business owners to spread awareness of resources available.
“It is evident that there are many small businesses that do not yet know of the federal, state, regional and local resources available to them to recover from August’s powerful floods,” Sec. Pierson said. “The people of this area are resilient, but disaster recovery resources can help to ease this burden.”
Businesses impacted by the August flooding with physical damage or economic loss, should apply for SBA assistance. Application deadlines are:
– Physical damage: October 13, 2016
– Economic Injury: May 15, 2017
Apply here: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/
Visit the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at 301 W. University Ave
Call the FEMA Helpline: 800-621-3362