2 agencies open a Hurricane Irma disaster recovery center in Orlando

Six months after Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast, Karen Knapik kept getting calls at the Small Business Administration.

People were realizing they were hurting financially because of the storm’s long-term impact.

But it was too late for them to apply for the low-interest loans the SBA offers, which are for businesses, individual homeowners and individual renters.

Now Knapik, an SBA spokeswoman, is working to get out the word in Orlando: Apply now for Hurricane Irma benefits from the SBA and from FEMA.

The two agencies opened a Disaster Recovery Center Wednesday for people impacted by Irma, in a former Orange County Bank building, 2250 N. Orange Blossom Trail. It will be open 8 a.m.-8 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

Knapik said many people and business owners try to scrape by with just a federal benefit award from FEMA.

“It takes a while sometimes before people realize that they need more financial help,” she said. “But after a while, FEMA won’t be available anymore.”

The center offers face-to-face meetings with specialists, to provide assistance to anyone with filling out applications or updating their status. Not-forprofits are also available at the center.

You can also find ongoing help online at https:// www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by calling FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or TTY at 800-462-7585.

You are encouraged to register online before you visit the center, to speed up the process.

FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. The assistance is nontaxable and does not conflict with eligibility for other government assistance like Social Security, Medicaid or other benefits.

“It takes a while sometimes before people realize that they need more financial help,” Karen Knapik, Small Business Administration spokeswoman

pbrinkmann@orlando sentinel.com, 407-420-5660