On Tuesday, the U.S. Small Business Administration visited Marion and talked with local officials about helping businesses in McDowell rebuild from Hurricane Helene.
The Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration Dilawar Syed met with local leaders at the McDowell County Administrative Offices.
Marion Mayor Steve Little, Marion City Manager Bob Boyette, McDowell County Manager Ashley Wooten, Chamber of Commerce President Kim Effler, Marion Business Association Director Freddie Killough, Tourism Director Shannon Odom, McDowell Economic Development Association Director Chuck Abernathy were in attendence.
The SBA is an independent agency of the U.S. government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Syed and his team from the SBA came to McDowell County to talk about recovery efforts so far, specifically for businesses.
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Syed said the SBA has disaster loans to assist businesses with rebuilding.
The SBA has people working at the McDowell County Disaster Recovery Center at the Senior Center in Marion. Applicants can walk in and talk with the SBA staff about this process.
"The whole process our teams can walk you through, answer your questions," Syed said.
"We will be here as long as it takes, to help this community recover," Syed said. "That's a commitment the president has made and we will make sure that we do that."
Mayor Steve Little said the deputy administrator brought with him a group of people who are intelligent, helpful and compassionate.
"They know their stuff," Little said. "They know how to encourage and make us aware that first, we are not alone here. We have people who support our efforts to recover and SBA is a vital, vital member of that team that we are being the beneficiaries of as they are here to help us."
Little said the information the SBA shared with the local officials will be shared throughout the community.
The SBA has disaster loans available to businesses include:
Business physical disaster loans - Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, nonprofit organizations such as charities, churches and private universities are also eligible.Economic Injury Disaster Loans - Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes meet ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.Home disaster loans - Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.
These loans have lower interest rates and fixed rates. Applicants must have a credit history acceptable to SBA and they must show the ability to repay all loans, according to a news release from the SBA.
Applicants may call the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or send an email to [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance.
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