- The Small Business Administration has set up a center in Valdosta to assist businesses with disaster loans.
- Dozens of small businesses in Valdosta have exterior damage due to Hurricane Helene.
- Watch the video to hear how local business owners are impacted.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
"I grew up in Valdosta. My grandmother worked up on Patterson Street. She was a Mary Kay model."
Samantha Schreiber owns the Cottonwood Boutique and Studio.
She has always wanted to operate her own business in the heart of downtown.
Everything was smooth sailing for seven years, even after Hurricane Idalia last year.
"As far as building damages and downtown, downtown really didn't sustain very much at all."
But Hurricane Helene was a different story.
"We're good up front, and we were able to open back up for business this afternoon for the first time since the storm. But we have an arts and crafts studio in the back… and almost half of my studio got flooded."
And Samantha isn't the only one.
Dozens of businesses in Lowndes County were hit hard by Helene.
That's why the Small Business Administration has set up a center in Valdosta to help businesses obtain loans for any damages.
However, Christie Moore, our Chamber's president, tells me we need to set realistic expectations.
"Those are loans. I think there's a misconception out there, particularly if you've never been through a disaster, that FEMA will come in and make everyone whole. And unfortunately, it's just not the case, but it's particularly not the case for business."
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 29, 2024. In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
