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Assistance for small business owners affected by toxic algae blooms

Disaster Assistance Centers open on Treasure Coast

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Assistance for small business owners affected by toxic algae blooms

Disaster Assistance Centers open on Treasure Coast

The U.S. Small Business Administration has opened two centers to help small businesses in Florida affected by toxic algae blooms.Blue green-algae continues to plague some of the waterways on the Treasure Coast and on Florida's west coast. U.S Small Business Administration public afffairs specialist John "Jack" Camp said the agency is offering low-interest economic injury disaster loans. Camp said the disaster loans are available for Florida small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and private nonprofit organizations affected by toxic algae blooms that began June 1, 2018."Certainly, it's going to affect people who are tied to the water - maybe a charter fisherman, someone who's renting recreational equipment on the water. Those type of people are going to have a direct impact. It can affect a restaurant, certainly anything tied to the tourist industry. It could affect your local retail stores or even your real estate industry. As long as they're a small business and having working capital problems because of this, we want to urge them to come on in and talk to one of our people," said Camp. The centers are located at the Airport Maintenance Building at 1895 SE Flying Fortress Way in Stuart and at City County Annex Building at 1825 Hendry Street in Fort Myers. The offices are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m., to 6 p.m., and on Saturday they open at 10 a.m. Applicants may also apply online, using the Electronic Loan Application via the SBA's secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has opened two centers to help small businesses in Florida affected by toxic algae blooms.

Blue green-algae continues to plague some of the waterways on the Treasure Coast and on Florida's west coast.

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U.S Small Business Administration public afffairs specialist John "Jack" Camp said the agency is offering low-interest economic injury disaster loans.

Camp said the disaster loans are available for Florida small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and private nonprofit organizations affected by toxic algae blooms that began June 1, 2018.

"Certainly, it's going to affect people who are tied to the water - maybe a charter fisherman, someone who's renting recreational equipment on the water. Those type of people are going to have a direct impact. It can affect a restaurant, certainly anything tied to the tourist industry. It could affect your local retail stores or even your real estate industry. As long as they're a small business and having working capital problems because of this, we want to urge them to come on in and talk to one of our people," said Camp.

The centers are located at the Airport Maintenance Building at 1895 SE Flying Fortress Way in Stuart and at City County Annex Building at 1825 Hendry Street in Fort Myers.

The offices are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m., to 6 p.m., and on Saturday they open at 10 a.m.

Applicants may also apply online, using the Electronic Loan Application via the SBA's secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov.