10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Flooded businesses getting badly needed help

West Virginia is stepping up and helping small businesses that suffered damage in the historic flooding last month. Governor Tomblin announced this week the “RISE West Virginia” program, a public-private partnership to raise money for direct cash grants to flooded businesses.

The program got a huge kick-start with a $500,000 contribution from Brad Smith. The Kenova native, who serves as the president and CEO of Intuit, the financial software company, said on Talkline Tuesday that it’s critically important to help the damaged small businesses get back on their feet.

“They are the sole source of employment for many of these communities,” Smith said. “These communities need these services and they need these jobs.”

Tomblin expects to raise at least $2 million for RISE through private donations and state money, with a chunk coming from the Racetrack Modernization Fund.  The state’s four tracks decided not to seek $4.5 million from the fund this coming year so the state could allocate the funds to flood recovery efforts.

A review committee made up of representatives of government and the state Chamber of Commerce will sort through the applications and decide how to allocate the money. Most grants will cap at $10,000, but some businesses could get more if circumstances warrant. Business owners throughout the 12-county disaster area can apply at wvflood.com. You can also make a donation at the site.

Meanwhile, the Chamber is running a separate program to help flooded businesses with direct grants. The Chamber has raised $250,000, with more money coming in. The organization is trying to quickly review applications and push out the money in grants of up to $5,000.

The Chamber just this week issued its first ten checks totaling $30,000.  Some of the grants were as little as $500, but others maxed out at $5,000.

These direct cash payments to flooded businesses are vital.  FEMA’s direct cash assistance is only for individuals, not businesses, and many businesses did not have flood insurance because they had never been threatened by high water before.  They need help.

If the town pharmacy, grocery store, beauty shop, diner, tavern and the like close down, the community will wither and die.  Folks will move away, except for the few usually older or poorer residents who will remain and bear witness to the decay.

The Tomblin administration, the state Chamber of Commerce, Brad Smith, the race tracks and all the others stepping up to help small businesses keep their doors open after the historic flooding deserve thanks and praise for their contributions.  It is only through the ongoing altruistic efforts of loyal West Virginians that our state will be able to fully recover from the horrific damage.

 





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