Harrisburg, PA — The Shapiro Administration announced today that the U.S. Small Business Administration approved Gov. Josh Shapiro’s recent request to make financial assistance available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private non-profit organizations that suffered economic injury due to the severe storms that occurred on July 4, 2026, in Monroe County and the surrounding counties of Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Northampton, Pike, and Wayne.
"Small businesses and nonprofits are the backbone of many Pennsylvania communities."
— Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Padfield
“The Shapiro Administration worked with the federal government to quickly open up access to low-interest loans to help businesses and other eligible organizations that experienced adverse financial impact due to loss of income, such as those that were closed and unable to operate for multiple days because of prolonged power outages as a result of the storms," Director Padfield said.
The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides loans of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses and most private non-profit organizations to help cover financial impacts resulting from income losses caused by the disaster. Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, continue health care benefits, cover rent and utilities, and other operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred. Loan funds are not intended to replace lost sales or profits and cannot be used to expand facilities, purchase fixed assets, repair physical damage, refinance existing debt, or pay dividends or bonuses, or repay loans to stockholders or principals.
Get Help In Person
SBA has opened a Disaster Loan Outreach Center in East Stroudsburg beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4.
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LocationSchooner Municipal Building | 147 Municipal Drive | East Stroudsburg, PA 18302
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Hours8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday | Closed Sunday
Visiting the outreach center is not required to obtain assistance. The center permanently closes at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, 2026.
Eligibility is based on the applicant’s:
- Size
- Type of business activity
- Financial resources
Physical damage to property is not required to qualify. Loan amounts and terms are determined by the SBA based on each applicant’s financial condition, with repayment terms of up to 30 years to help keep payments affordable. Additional information about the disaster declaration for the July 4, 2026, severe storms, including access to the online loan application, is available on the SBA’s website.
Applicants may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955. People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability should dial 711 for relay services.
Applicants also may email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Reference Pennsylvania Disaster Number PA-20039.
The deadline to return applications is Friday, April 30, 2027.
