11/20/2012
By Ivan Pereira
The federal government doled out $11 million in aid to New York businesses hurt by the storm and city officials are pushing other store owners to apply for help.
On Tuesday, Karen G. Mills, administrator of the U. S. Small Business Administration and some New York officials toured small businesses in the Financial District and talked one-on-one with owners.
“This is a long recovery and we’re going to be here for the months and weeks ahead,” Mills said.
Mills said the average turnaround from the time an owner applies for financial aid to the time they get the money is 10 days.
Rebecca Pasanella, the co-owner of Pasanella & Son wine shop near the South Street Seaport, said she was grateful that the federal government was lending a hand. Her store, which is located above her family’s apartment, had seven feet of water for days.
“We’re a neighborhood and we depend on the government and the good company of the customers to get back,” she said.
