SBA Disaster Assistance Available to Private Non-Profit Organizations in Georgia

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration announces that certain Private Non-Profit Organizations (PNPs) that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature may be eligible to apply for low interest rate disaster loans. These loans are available as a result of President Bush's Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance resulting from damages caused by severe storms and flooding on May 11 - 12, 2008.

PNPs located in Bibb, Carroll, Crawford, Douglas, Emanuel, Glynn, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, McIntosh, Treutlen, Twiggs and Wilkinson counties in the State of Georgia are eligible to apply to SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

"PNP organizations are urged to contact their county emergency managers to obtain information about local briefings. At the meeting, PNP representatives will provide information about their organization," said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

This information will be used to submit a "Request for Public Assistance" which FEMA uses to determine if the PNP provides an essential governmental service and meets the definition of a "critical facility." Based upon that conclusion, FEMA will either refer the PNP to SBA for disaster loan assistance or possibly provide a "Public Assistance" reimbursement grant for eligible costs.

Disaster loan information and application forms may be obtained by calling the SBA's Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (for the hearing-impaired 1-800-877-8339) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EDT), emailing our customer service center at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by writing to U.S. Small Business Administration, Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center, 130 South Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202-2463.

The deadline to apply for these loans is July 22, 2008.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Programs, visit our website at www.sba.gov.

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration