Santa Maria businessman offers free help to other businesses to apply for COVID-19 aid
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - A Santa Maria business man has volunteered to help other local business owners understand and apply for aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Farmers insurance agent Jaime Flores applied for COVID-19 loans and grants to save his agency during the pandemic. He found the process complicated and ever-changing making the process even more difficult.
“I said to myself I can only imagine what people have to go through who are not familiar with these processes or don’t have all these documents organized for their businesses,” said Flores.
He has teamed up with the Santa Maria and Solvang Chamber of Commerces to help other local businesses get through the difficult process.
“The most important documents you can have ready are your payroll documents, your form 940 or 941,” said Flores.
He is offering his help entrepreneurs obtain grants and loans, like the Pay Check Protection Program through the Small Business Association, free of charge.
“That is ran through a process with your business bank,” said Flores.
“He's ready go, he's fired up, he's helping tons of people and he is bilingual,” said the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Suzanne Singh.
The Commerce said if a business' bank is not helpful they can step in and help owners get the help they need. Flores notes the Solvang Small Business Development Center has also been a great resource he is referring people to.
He can also help people apply for new unemployment funding which is set to accept applications next week.
“That program is specifically designed for sole proprietors, 1099 and independent contractors and self employed individuals,” said Flores.
Flores advised that in addition to the payroll forms needed, business owners will also have to present Schedule C forms from their taxes. The grants and loans require last year's tax information and the first quarter of 2020.
Direct links to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program include disastercustomerservice@sba.gov and unemployment assistance go to www.edd.ca.gov.
