Amid the Louisiana floods, six small business recovery center locations are opening in southern Louisiana, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Louisiana Economic Development (LED), and the Louisiana Small Business Development Network. In fact, two of the centers are already open.
Small business owners impacted by the recent flooding can visit the following recovery centers, the LED says.
Already Active:
- Walker: Southeastern Louisiana University Literacy and Technology Center, Room 101, 9261 Florida Blvd. Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Activating Saturday, August 20:
- Amite: Amite Chamber of Commerce, 101 SE Central Ave., Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
Opening Monday, August 22:
- Baton Rouge: Louisiana State Archives, 3851 Essen Lane (near Interstate 12), Mondays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Lafayette: Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (LITE) Executive Conference Room, 537 Cajundome Blvd., Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
- Baker: Baker Workforce Development Center, 3262 Baker Blvd., Mondays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
- Prairieville: BancorpSouth Bank, 13423 Louisiana 73, Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
No appointment is necessary and all services are provided free of charge -- though I don't know the specific recovery services each center is offering.
Register With FEMA
To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance (individual and business), victims must first call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or access online at disasterassistance.gov, according to LED. Businesses that sustained losses in the designated parishes can begin applying for assistance immediately.
U.S. Small Business Administration
Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. You can apply for loan assistance here, the LED says. Additional information is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955.
Beginning the Business Recovery
Many Louisiana small businesses hesitated to begin their disaster recoveries last week, as employees instead volunteered outside of work to assist the cleanup effort.
Major corporations have also chipped in with the recovery effort. Key contributors to the effort include Exxon Mobil, The Office Depot Foundation, Regions Bank, Walmart and many others.
Only about one in eight businesses and residences in East Baton Rouge Parish is covered by flood insurance, a reality that is sure to take a financial toll on those living in the vast swaths of neighborhoods that flooded during the recent storms, The Advocate reported.
