March 18 - 22, 2013

$960,056 in FY 2012 Disaster Relief Opportunity funds to Operation Hope, Inc., Los Angeles, California, to fund disaster and long-term recovery resiliency guidance and business planning assistance to small businesses in the Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, and New York Counties that suffered flood damage and interruption of services due to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Due to lack of pre-disaster planning, more than half of the small businesses in the targeted area that were severely impacted by these disasters were unable to qualify for loans and obtain other critical services needed to revive their businesses and as a result were forced to lay off or furlough employees. This project will help address the long-term need for disaster mitigation services for small businesses by enhancing opportunities to access capital and other critical services needed to make them more resilient to future disasters. This investment is part of a $1,200,070 project.