SAN DIEGO - Border businesses severely impacted by the loss of customer traffic due to heightened security at the border are invited to attend a workshop to learn about business assistance programs and to obtain hands-on assistance in filling out loan applications, including a special federal disaster loan.

The workshop is divided into two sections: a general seminar portion that will provide an overview of available programs and a hands-on workshop that will help businesses actually fill out and submit loan applications for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan. The general information seminar will be held from 8:00 am to 10:00 am on Tuesday, December 18. Two sessions of the hands-on workshop will be offered: one immediately following the presentation from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm and another session from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm the following day, Wednesday, December 19. Businesses are encouraged to attend the workshops early, learn about what documents are needed to apply, and return during the workshop hours with the appropriate documentation to actually submit an application for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan. All events will be held at the San Ysidro Middle School/Multi-Cultural Center, at 4345 Otay Mesa Road.

This collaborative effort to help border businesses in the San Ysidro area is part of a larger plan by the City of San Diego to help the community deal with the significant impacts of delayed border crossings. In November, a City Council committee directed the Community and Economic Development Department to create a plan to increase awareness about existing programs, develop additional outreach activities and assess additional needs. Since that time, the Community and Economic Development Department has brought together several agencies to help carry out expanded outreach efforts. On December 10, the San Diego City Council declared an economic state of emergency for the border area and supported the efforts to assist the business community.

These business assistance/loan workshops combine the City's resources with several partner agencies, including the San Ysidro Business Association, the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro Chambers of Commerce, the U.S. Small Business Administration's San Diego District and Sacramento Disaster Offices, the Small Business Development and International Trade Center at Southwestern College, Accion San Diego, Uptown Micro-Loan Program, CDC Small Business Finance, SCORE, and the California Southern Small Business Development Corporation.

The workshops are free and registration is not required. For more information, contact the Small Business Development and International Trade Center at (619) 482-6391.