In this episode of "Hub City Now" host Tyrone Tony Reed Jr. interviewed Sabrina Blue, CEO and Executive Director of Helping Hands of Tennessee.

In this episode of Hub City Now with Tyrone Tony Reed Jr., the hosts interviews: Liliana Tschanett, Public Affairs Specialist, Field Operations Center – East, Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience (ODR&R), U.S. Small Business Administration.

Tschanett was on the show to talk about disaster assistance offered by SBA in Tennessee in your area after the natural disaster that occurred from March 31 – April 1, 2023.

The disaster declaration covers Cannon, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton and Wayne counties in Tennessee, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.

Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Bedford, Chester, Clay, Coffee, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, DeKalb, Fayette, Henderson, Hickman, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Madison, Marshall, Maury, Perry, Shelby, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Warren, Williamson and Wilson in Tennessee; Lauderdale, in Alabama; Crittenden and Mississippi in Arkansas; Allen and Monroe in Kentucky; and Alcorn, Benton, Tippah and Tishomingo in Mississippi.

What’s available:

Only Primary Counties, including Mobile in the declaration can apply for the following loans with SBA:

1.       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, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible. Max. loan 2 million dollars.

2.       Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles. Residents that sustained physical damages need to register with FEMA first. Max. loan $200,000 for homeowners (primary residence) & $40,000 for personal property including renters.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage was June 6, 2023, but late applications are being accepted until Thursday, June 22,2023, in case you were unaware of the original deadline or the information about the loan.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

All businesses and private non-profit organizations qualifying in primary counties (including Tipton and Haywood) and contiguous counties (including Shelby (Memphis), Lauderdale and Fayette) may apply with SBA for EIDL without any proof of physical damages.

1.       Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their 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. Max. loan 2 million dollars.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is January 8, 2024.

SBA is operating since April 11, 2023 one Business Recovery Center to assist business owners and residents in filling out a disaster loan application and providing one-on-one help and program information. The center is operating as indicated below until further notice:

In this episode of Hub City Now with Tyrone Tony Reed Jr., the host speaks with Liliana Tschanett, Public Affairs Specialist, Field Operations Center – East, Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience (ODR&R), U.S. Small Business Administration and Van Wylie, Small Business Development Centers Director for TN Western Region.

Wylie spoke about how he got involved with the SBDC, what it does in the community and who it helps.

Tschanett and Wylie spoke about the upcoming events ( a webinar and a business recovery fair, that SBA and SBDC will present together. The two events will highlight the financial assistance available from the SBA and other federal, state and local agencies, plus free classes and assistance offered through the TSBDC.

The webinar, Tuesday, June 27, at 11 a.m. CDT/12 noon EDT, will offer information on SBA’s working capital loans, technical and counseling services by the TSBDC. Business owners can sign up for the webinar in English or Spanish at the TSBDC website: www.tsbdc.org. The business recovery fair, on Wednesday, June 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT, will be held at the Jimmy Naifeh Center at Dyersburg State Community College, 3149 Highway 51 South in Covington, TN. Local, state, and federal agencies will be on-site to answer questions and provide one-on-one assistance.

Small businesses and private non-profit organizations in the following counties are encouraged to attend: Bedford, Cannon, Chester, Clay, Coffee, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, DeKalb, Fayette, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Hickman, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Macon, Madison, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Perry, Rutherford, Shelby, Smith, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Warren, Wayne, Williamson and Wilson in Tennessee; Lauderdale, in Alabama; Crittenden and Mississippi in Arkansas; Allen and Monroe in Kentucky; and Alcorn, Benton, Tippah and Tishomingo in Mississippi.

Applicants may apply online via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ under SBA declaration # 17867.

Disaster loan information and forms may be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services), or by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan application forms can be downloaded from the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The deadline to return an SBA application for financial losses (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) is Jan. 8, 2024.