Disaster loan option available for flood victims in Kanawha County

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A disaster loan outreach center is open at Belle Town Hall. It’s an option for neighbors in Kanawha County to get some temporary financial assistance as they continue repairing what was destroyed by flooding in August of 2022.

“We’ve just been busy ever since the flood, almost every day we’ve been busy trying to get everything back to normal,” Stephen Edens said.

It’s been nearly a year since devastating flooding forced families across Kanawha County to start over, including Edens and his wife who live in the Campbell’s Creek area.

Edens says he’s spent tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket for repairs, roughly spending $30,000 alone re-constructing his bridge, which is the only way to get to and from his home.

He says with all of the other additional repairs, a major chunk of his savings has been wiped out.

“It took its toll on us,” Edens said. “You wake up every day and you know you’ve got a ton of work ahead of you.”

Edens says what his family really needs is financial relief -- in the form of grants, for example. It’s a lump sum they don’t have to pay back-- ultimately helping them avoid racking up another bill.

However, Edens says he hit a dead end when it comes to finding options.

“We’ve managed to keep our heads above water,” Edens said.

In efforts to help bring some temporary financial relief, there’s a disaster outreach center set up at Belle Town Hall.

Workers with the Small Business Administration (SBA) are there throughout the week, ready to help flood victims find a low-interest loan plan that works for them.

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“Yeah, I’m certainly going to look into it. Hopefully, it will be something we can deal with and use to our benefit,” Edens said.

If you’re interested in exploring a disaster loan option, here are their hours:

- Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

- Saturdays: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

- Sundays: Closed

You have until 4 p.m. June 13 to come to Belle Town Hall to explore this option.

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