The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) encourages businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters to apply for physical damage disaster loans before the Feb. 2 deadline. Anyone in Alexander, Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell, and Wilkes counties with damages caused by Tropical Storm Eta on Nov. 12, 2020, should apply for the disaster loan program.
“Waiting to file an SBA application could cause unnecessary delays in receiving disaster assistance, and survivors may miss the application deadline. Submitting the loan application is an essential part of the disaster recovery process,” said Kem Fleming, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.
Survivors may contact the SBA’s Disaster Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 for assistance in completing their loan applications. Requests for SBA disaster loan program information may be obtained by emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.
Virtual customer support representatives are available to help applicants complete the online application during these hours:
Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center (VDLOC)
Open: Monday through Sunday (7 days/week)
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Email: FOCE-Help@sba.gov
Phone: (800) 659-2955
Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download applications at DisasterLoan.sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Loan applications can also be downloaded at sba.gov/disaster. Completed paper applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Feb. 2, 2021. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Sept. 7, 2021.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit sba.gov.