News release Public Information Office  SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu summer 05 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Rene Abadie Date: 11/4/05   SBDC OFFERS ONE-ON-ONE DISASTER COUNSELING        HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana University Small Business Development Center is offering free one-on-one consultations to area businesses applying for Small Business Administration disaster business loans.        SBDC Assistant Director Sandy Summers said federal disaster assistance is available to businesses in declared disaster areas that have suffered physical damage to the business or loss of sales from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.        The consultations with an SBDC business advisor are available throughout the north shore by appointment only. Individual appointments can be made by calling the Southeastern SBDC at 985-549-3831 or by e-mail, sbdc@selu.edu. Applicants will be asked to provide pertinent information regarding their particular businesses, including federal tax returns, balance sheets, profit and lost statements, a description of damage, and proof of insurance.        Summers said the deadline to apply for the physical damage portion of the Disaster Business Loan has been extended to Jan. 11, 2006, but business owners are urged to get applications completed as soon as feasible. Deadline for the economic injury portion of the loan is May 29, 2006, and the lending limit has been increased from $1.5 million to $10 million.        The Southeastern SBDC, in cooperation with several other business and economic development organizations in the area, recently conducted 27 disaster workshops in which more than 800 participants were assisted in developing their loan applications.        “Our staff have spent considerable time learning the ‘ins and outs’ of the SBA Disaster Loan application and are able to really assist business owners in completing what sometimes can be a very complicated process,” Summers said.