New recovery center helps Augusta businesses hurt by Helene

HURRICANE HELENE: Latest updates on the recovery — 24/7

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Small Business istration has opened a Business Recovery Center in Augusta on Tuesday, where SBA staff can provide small business owners with assistance as they recover from Hurricane Helene.

New FEMA centers open for Helene victims across the CSRA

FEMA is on the ground and ready to provide new in-person services with centers in Richmond, Washington, Aiken, Barnwell and Saluda counties, and more to come.

On Friday, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff announced that in-person help is available for Georgia small business owners recovering from Hurricane Helene the CSRA.

Staff can help with on disaster loan applications, accepting documents and providing updates on an application’s status.

The Business Recovery Center is located at 3626 Walton Way Extension, Suite 1.

Regular hours include:

Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SOAR Academy looks for a new home after storm damage

Many people, businesses and schools are still recovering from Hurricane Helene weeks later. SOAR Academy is one of the schools that had so much damage, they’ve had to stop school.

Walk-ins are accepted, but SBA also recommends scheduling an in-person appointment.

According to the SBA, in the East Georgia region, the disaster declaration currently covers these counties in the CSRA: Burke, Columbia, Emanuel, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Warren and Washington.

Small business owners are eligible for both physical and economic injury disaster loans from the SBA.

Church volunteers help with Hurricane Helene recovery in CSRA

After being partially shut down due to Hurricane Helene, Fort Eisenhower is reopening after the commanding general determined it can resume normal operations.

More than 6,100 volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day arrived in Florida,...

According to the SBA, with the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, Georgians are encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover.

FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for long-term recovery.

Per SBA, the filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 29. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025.

For more questions or assistance, please visit sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance or call 1-800-659-2955.