ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today it will temporarily close its Business Recovery Centers in Cook and St. Clair Counties, on Monday, October 14 in observance of the Indigenous People’s Day Holiday. The Centers will resume normal operations on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Customer Service Representatives at SBA’s Business Recovery Center can assist applicants complete their disaster loan application, accept documents for existing applications, and provide updates on an application’s status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Disaster Recovery Center in advance. The centers will operate as indicated below until further notice.
Business Recovery Center (BRC)
Cook County
SBA District Office
332 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60604
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed: Saturday and Sunday
Closed Monday, Oct. 14 for Holiday
Business Recovery Center (BRC)
St. Clair County
Southwestern IL Justice & Workforce Development Campus, Library Room
2300 W Main Street
Belleville, IL 62226
Hours: Monday - Sunday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Closed Monday, Oct. 14 for Holiday
With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now 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 your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition. Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.
Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 19, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 20, 2025.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.