Manahawkin Disaster Recovery Center To Transition to SBA Loan Center

FEMA recently announced that three local Disaster Recovery Centers in Leonardo, Toms River and Little Egg Harbor will close Saturday, April 20, and transition into Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Centers.

The decision was made after officials noted fewer people seeking help at the three centers, the agency said.

SBA representatives at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center will take over April 22. They provide homeowners, renters, business owners and nonprofit organizations with face-to-face service in answering questions about SBA's low-interest disaster loan programs, completing loan applications, checking the status of applications and closing on SBA loans. 

The SBA outreach centers will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday. 

The locations of the disaster recovery centers transitioning to SBA loan centers are located at the Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center in Leonardo, the Little Egg Harbor Senior Center in Little Egg Harbor Township and at the Ocean County Southern Resource Center in Manahawkin. 

The remaining local disaster recovery centers are: 

Union Beach Municipal Bldg  
650 Poole Ave.
Union Beach, NJ 07735

Brick Township Civic Center 
270 Chambers Bridge Road 
Brick, NJ 08723 

Bell Crest Plaza Store Front 4C 
953 Fischer Blvd. 
Toms River, NJ 08753 

Other disaster recovery centers are located in Jersey City, Ocean City and Mays Landing and can be found at FEMA.gov/DRC. Registration for FEMA assistance ends May 1, 2013. 

FEMA staff is available at all the centers to provide clarification to FEMA letters, assist survivors with finding a temporary home if their primary residence was damaged or destroyed, check on the status of their application for assistance or refer survivors to other agencies that may provide additional help. 

Also, survivors can consult with Small Business Administration customer service representatives about low-interest disaster loans to repair or rebuild their home and FEMA mitigation specialists about cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters. 

Individuals can register for assistance and follow up on their applications online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or by using a smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov. By phone or 711/VRS, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585. 

For more information about the SBA, call the SBA Customer Service Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday, at 1-800-659-2955. Survivors may apply online. Applicants also may visit the SBA Web site at or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.