SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available to Private Non-Profit Organizations...

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available to Private Non-Profit
Organizations in Florida; Adds 31 Counties

ATLANTA, Sept. 5 /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 the Presidential Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance
resulting from damages caused by Tropical Storm Fay that occurred on August
18, 2008 and continuing. SBA also announces that 31 counties have been added
to the declaration.

PNPs located in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Collier, Dixie,
Duval, Gadsden, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Jefferson, Lake, Leon,
Liberty, Marion, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Putnam, Saint Lucie, Saint
Johns, Seminole, Union and Wakulla counties are eligible for both Physical and
Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. PNPs in the adjacent counties of
Bay, Broward, Charlotte, Clay, Citrus, Columbia, De Soto, Flagler,Franklin,
Gilchrist,Gulf, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indiana River, Jackson, Lafayette,
Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Orange, Palm Beach,
Polk, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor and Volusia in Florida and Brooks, Charlton,
Clinch, Decatur, Echols, Grady, Lowndes, Seminole, Thomas and Ware counties in
Georgia are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not
limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community
centers, schools and colleges.

For PNP organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster
Loans up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs, such as ongoing
operating expenses. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available
regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

These loans are available at the 4 percent interest rate with loan terms up to
30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based upon each
applicant's financial condition.

"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 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT or by emailing our customer service center
at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or writing to U.S. Small Business
Administration, Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center, 130 South Elmwood
Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202-2463.

Victims may also apply for disaster loans from SBA's secure website at
https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is
October 23, 2008. The deadline to return economic injury applications is May
25, 2009.

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

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

Michael Lampton of the U.S. Small Business Administration, +1-404-331-0333