PORTLAND, Maine — Like many Mainers, Libby Davis says the ocean is in her blood.
Which makes sense given that her father is from Peaks Island and Davis grew up in Scarborough. After working with farmers during time with the Peace Corps, Davis returned to Maine and worked at a local raw bar in Portland.
“And I just fell in love with the product and I fell in love with working with farmers again," she said.
Redeveloping that passion for working in the aquaculture scene motivated Davis to create her own small business called Lady Shuckers. The mobile truck can be found at Maine breweries or other community events during the busy tourism season. Davis said she also hosts "Learn to Shuck" events for businesses or organizations. She's enjoyed working with oyster farmers and other companies embedded in the state's aquaculture sector.
"The support from the larger aquaculture community has made a huge difference in my journey with the business and has definitely pushed me to keep going, especially in those more challenging times," she added.
Lady Shuckers also works with women-owned and minority-owned oyster farms as a way to further develop her business's social mission.
Many of the farmers Davis works with were hit hard during back-to-back January storms in Maine, which forced some farming and fishing grounds to close. State and federal agencies have been working to connect with affected businesses ever since.
Applications for individual disaster assistance are still available, and the deadline to apply for physical damage relief is May 20. The deadline to apply for economic relief with the Small Business Administration is Dec. 23. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has also opened up disaster recovery centers in Wells, Harpswell, Ellsworth, and Machias.
To apply for disaster assistance or check to see if you're eligible for funds, click this link, use the FEMA mobile app, or call 1-800-621-3362.
“This is not a hand-out, it’s a hand-up. [It's] your tax dollars at work here in Maine," FEMA spokesperson Deanna Frazier told NEWS CENTER Maine.
Frazier said, as of last week, more than 1,700 applications have been submitted, 426 of which applications had been approved as of Friday. Those 426 approved applicants have received $2 million in relief funds.
The individual assistance payments can help in three areas, Frazier said.
First: rental assistance. If your home is no longer livable, Frazier explained, this grant can help with two months of rent payments if you need to temporarily live somewhere else while making repairs on your home.
The second area of relief pertains to limited home repair. Frazier said those funds can help Mainers repair damaged roofs or windows. The third assistance option relates to the replacement of some personal property.
“Remember that this is a grant program. That is money that does not need to be repaid, it does not effect your taxes," Frazier said. “People that we are looking for out there are people who are uninsured and underinsured.”
FEMA does have workers going to door-to-door in affected communities. Frazier said these workers will travel in pairs, will have FEMA identification, and will be wearing agency gear.
There have been reports of scammers pretending to be FEMA officials, Frazier warned. She said to never give out any personal information to someone unless they have proper FEMA identification.
Meanwhile, the Small Business Administration's Maine District office is offering disaster relief loans that are interest free for 12 months, according to Maine District director Diane Sturgeon.
Sturgeon said the SBA has plenty of other resources available to small business owners and can connect owners to partners based on their needs.
“I talk to businesses that are in disaster situations or just regular businesses that have been kicking around for a long time, and then they get the help from one of the partners and [they say], 'Man if I had done this 15-years ago, who knows where I would be.' These resources are there, you pay for them with your tax dollars, so take advantage of them.”
The local SBA district office is also holding events for small business owners this week during National Small Business Week.
There is a virtual webinar focused on tax help and data and scam protection, among other topics, being held Tuesday afternoon. A Women Mean Business Summit will be held on Wednesday in Hallowell, and a Basic Business Startup Class will happen Friday morning at the York County Career Center in Springvale. You can find more information about those events here.
According to the most recent SBA data, more than 55% of Maine workers work for a small business.
Sturgeon said Maine business owners are creative, resilient, and innovative, and put in a lot of work. That being said, she's encouraging business owners to reach out to the SBA to learn more about resources and other means of support.
Libby Davis added that if starting a small business was easy, "everyone would do it", but it's a rewarding experience. She encourages any new business owner to reach out to the SBA or other resources for help.