CHAPEL HILL – More than a month after flooding hit our local area, some businesses are still working to make repairs and get back their original state.

Kristen Smith, vice president for advocacy and engagement at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, says that in the wake of the flood, local businesses worked to support one another.

“Businesses really stepped up, as far as helping their fellow business folks,” Smith says. “People like Peter DeLeon at the University Mall opened up space so that there could be an assistance center for businesses or individuals. Different businesses made cash contributions and in-kind contributions to be a part of the relief effort.”

Smith says that even businesses who may not have had a lot of resources managed to contribute something.

“Businesses stepped up with contributions of space, boxes, storage pods,” Smith says.

Since the June flood, Smith says the Chamber of Commerce has been going to different businesses in the area to try and provide the services needed.

“We’ve been trying to monitor the needs of businesses, particularly since Governor McCrory declared a state of emergency in our county and that makes businesses eligible for loan funding and other grants,” Smith says.

Smith is referring to the low-interest rate loans provided by the Small Business Administration during the state of emergency.

“Some businesses are just discovering damage, and so we want to make sure that even though the assistance center at University Mall is closed, people can still apply for assistance,” Smith says.

The SBA can be reached at 1.800.659.2955.

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