Murphys, CA…The Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Butte Fire Business Recovery Event on Monday, January 11, 2016 from 4:00pm – 7:00pm at Ironstone Vineyards which is located at 1894 Six Mile Road in Murphys, California. Refreshments and light appetizers will be provided.

This informative workshop will provide valuable resources to businesses who have suffered direct and indirect economic injury as a result of the Butte Fire disaster. Through collaboration with multiple agencies which include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and the United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) this event will discuss programs designed to help you rebuild your businesses.

Speakers for the event will include Joe McClure from the Small Business Administration (SBA), Carol Pranka from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Keith Rogers from Valley Economic Development Center (VEDC) and Nate McBride from the Northeastern California Small Business Development Center, San Joaquin Delta College (SBDC). Introductions of the leaders from the various agencies will be made from 4:00pm – 4:30pm and business resource support and counseling will take place from 4:30pm – 7:00pm. This free “one on one” support and business counseling will be available to help businesses develop a long-term recovery plan.

The SBA will have information available on their Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. EIDL loans are designed to assist businesses that have been economically injured as opposed to physically injured. Economically Injured businesses are those that were unable to meet its obligations and to pay its ordinary and necessary operating expenses because of the disaster. EIDLs provide the necessary working capital to help small businesses survive until normal operations resume after a disaster. The SBA can provide up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred. The loan amount will be based on the businesses actual economic injury and the company’s financial needs, regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

California Association of Local Economic Development (CALED) in partnership with Valley Economic Development Center (VEDC) will also be present and offering information on loans from the Statewide Revolving Loan Fund (SRLF), which was created to focus on job creation and retention in response to areas affected by unfavorable economic conditions such as natural disasters.

We would like to thank Wells Fargo Bank, the Small Business Administration, the Central Sierra Economic Development District, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority, the Economic Development Administration and Destination Angels Camp for sponsoring this event.

For a complete list of documents to bring to the Business Recovery Event please visit the Chamber website @ www.calaveras.org or contact the Chamber office at 209-754-5400.