EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – As El Paso begins the “Stay Home, Work Safe” order to combat the spread of COVID-19, meany small business will be affected.
In order to help financially, the El Paso County Economic Development Department has put together a list of websites to help navigate the burden.
- The Small Business Administration (SBA) has made a disaster declaration for the state of Texas. Businesses can now apply directly for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for up to $2 million. www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus- covid-19
- The Office of the Governor has compiled a comprehensive list of resources and important Covid-19 updates. You can also sign up to receive email updates for business. https://gov.texas.gov/coronavirus
- The Texas Department of Insurance has created a page to guide and update the industry on Covid-19 related matters. https://www.tdi.texas.gov/news/2020/coronavirus-updates.html
- The Texas Department of Agriculture has created a website to give the public Covid-19 updates on school meals, rural hospitals, licensing and more. https://www.texasagriculture.gov/NewsEvents/COVID19CoronavirusResponsePag e.aspx
- El Paso Electric has suspended service disconnections for nonpayment although regular billing will continue for all customers. They have also made some operational changes in response to Covid-19. https://www.epelectric.com/message-to-customers
- Texas Gas Service has temporarily suspended service disconnections due to nonpayment through April 15, 2020. https://www.texasgasservice.com/coronavirus
- El Paso Water suspended service disconnections for non-payment on March 18, 2020 for at least 60 days. https://www.epwater.org/cms/one.aspx?portalId=6843488&pageId=16553772
- The Paso del Norte Health Foundation, in partnership with United Way of El Paso, has created an El Paso Covid-19 Response Fund. The fund is available to nonprofit organizations serving vulnerable populations in the community. https://pdnfoundation.org/give-to-a-fund/covid-19-response-fund
- The local Workforce Solutions office is prepared to respond to workers who have been laid off or dislocated. They are also prepared to provide employers with services if they are going to lay off large groups of people so that they are entered quickly into the system, or to assist employers who want to temporarily hire groups of workers who have recently been displaced. They can be reached at 915.887.2600 and online at www.borderplexjobs.com.
- The Small Business Development Center is available to meet by phone or online. To review the advising services available to small businesses, visit https://elpasosbdc.net.
