SBA Disaster Loan Deadline is June 8; There is Still Time to Apply

ATLANTA--(Business Wire)--
The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding survivors that June 8 is the
filing deadline for federal economic injury disaster loans available in declared
counties in the State of Florida. The SBA declared a disaster because of damages
and losses to crops caused by excessive rainfall, flooding, flash flooding, high
winds, lightning and multiple tornadoes associated with Tropical Storm Fay that
occurred on August 19 - 24, 2008.

The SBA's disaster declaration includes the following counties: Alachua, Baker,
Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier,
Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades,
Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson,
Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Martin,
Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk,
Putnam, Saint Johns, Saint Lucie, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor,
Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington.

"When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers
recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration
issues a declaration to assist small businesses and most private, non-profit
organizations affected by the same disaster," said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA
Field Operations Center East.

Under this declaration, the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is
available to farm-related and nonfarm-related small business concerns, small
agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all
sizes that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster.
Farmers and ranchers are not eligible to apply to SBA.

Eligible small businesses and non-profit organizations may qualify for loans up
to $2 million. These loans are available at a 4 percent interest rate with loan
terms up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the
applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms
are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition. Under
this disaster declaration, the SBA cannot provide loans to agricultural
producers.

Survivors should contact the SBA's Customer Service Center by calling
1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through Friday
from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT, or by sending an email
to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from the
SBA's website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Completed applications
should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and
Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Victims may visit SBA's secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ to
apply for disaster loans.

Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than June 8, 2009.

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

Release Number: 09-398 FL 11485

U.S. Small Business Administration
Mark Ihenacho,404-331-0333

Copyright Business Wire 2009