Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference Tuesday at Roy’s Restaurant in Steinhatchee to provide updates on Florida’s response to Hurricane Debby.
He announced the allocation of $10 million for the Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program and the opening of a Business Resource Center and a Point of Distribution (POD) for the Big Bend Area.
“The State of Florida leads the nation in storm preparation and disaster response,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We will continue to work around the clock to restore power and provide services and resources to Floridians hit by Hurricane Debby.”
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Following the press conference, Governor DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis helped inaugurate the Business Resource Center at Taylor County Middle School in Perry. This center, in collaboration with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida National Guard, serves as a POD for supply distribution and a hub for residents and businesses to access necessary assistance.
“The Hope Bus is set up at Taylor County Middle School,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “We’ve mobilized Hope Florida to respond in the immediate aftermath of a storm. Residents impacted by Hurricane Debby can visit the Hope Bus to be connected with a Hope Navigator and immediate-need goods.”
Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, stated, “Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the State Emergency Response Team continues our efforts to provide necessary resources to communities that suffered damages due to impacts from Hurricane Debby. We have completed over half of the missions received prior to Debby’s landfall and will continue providing requested resources and support until each community has recovered.”
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DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris added, “Thanks to the Governor’s leadership, families impacted by Hurricane Debby are receiving critical resources less than 24 hours after the storm made landfall. The Department has proactively deployed the Hope Florida ‘Hope Bus’ to connect Floridians with additional assistance and is working round-the-clock to provide families and communities impacted by Hurricane Debby with the support they need.”
The $10 million made available through the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program is aimed at helping businesses affected by Hurricane Debby. Florida small business owners, including sole proprietors, can apply for loans at www.FloridaJobs.org/EBL until September 30, 2024, or until all funds are expended. The program offers short-term, zero-interest loans of up to $50,000 for eligible small businesses, with loans of up to $100,000 available for agriculture and aquaculture small businesses.
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The Hope Florida Bus, deployed to the Business Resource Center, provides additional support by connecting individuals with a Hope Navigator. The Business Resource Center is open until 5 p.m., with representatives from Florida Commerce, CareerSource, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Florida Department of Children and Families ready to assist residents.
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