HONOLULU – The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $199,999 to the City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Economic Revitalization (OER) to improve disaster preparedness and recovery efforts for small businesses in O’ahu. The Oʻahu Disaster Resilience (ODR) program will bring business disaster experts into the community for workshops aimed at training small business owners on how to prepare for future disruptions. This training will also be available on the city’s O’ahu Business Connector website, which currently connects small businesses to more than 80 free or low-cost resources to start, grow and finance their operations. The website will soon connect businesses to resources such as local suppliers, emergency services and financing in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
“Preparation is key to keeping our community safe,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “It is crucial that businesses have access to information, tools and resources in the event of a disaster. This grant will strengthen our community by helping local businesses retain employees and restart operations as soon as possible to keep our economy strong.
The City and County of Honolulu qualified for funding under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act following a major disaster declaration issued in response to severe storms, flooding and slides of terrain caused by a significant weather event in 2021.
“The supplemental disaster funding, which is separate from the regular EDA program funding, is intended specifically to support regions that have been affected by major economic shocks and natural disasters,” said Representative Keoki Noji. of economic development for the United States Economic Development Administration. “In the past, additional disaster funds have been used, for example, to repair infrastructure critical to the local economy. »
The O‘ahu Disaster Resilience Program aims to create a more resilient business ecosystem and ensure O‘ahu businesses are equipped to handle the unexpected.
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