NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Newtek Business Services, NASDAQ: NEWT, The Small Business Authority, today announced that it is setting up special programs to help small businesses devastated by Hurricane Sandy.  Barry Sloane, Chairman and CEO of Newtek said: "We are here to help small businesses and even more so for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Newtek is here as the "Small Business Authority" to help independent business owners in good times and bad, both our clients and others. We are a business located in Manhattan and on Long Island and know the problems businesses face.  We are here at any time and every day to help with major causes of concern for small businesses.  All it takes is a phone call to the 1-855-2-THESBA phone line for help with:

• SBA Disaster Loan Funding
• Examining Insurance Policies for coverage for wind, flood and business interruption insurance
• Data Back-up Planning
• Cloud Computing Solutions for future disasters and cost-savings."

The Federal Government has declared several states, as well as counties within those states, as Disaster Areas. These include areas within Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and West Virginia.

As a small business owner or individual, Newtek understands small businesses have many questions regarding assistance for yourself and your business.   You may find answers to these questions by going to FEMA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security website: http://www.fema.gov/disasters.   Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from this disaster.  This valuable site, for example, has information on grants for home repairs and help to meet medical and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

The U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA") Disaster Loans are available for businesses in the affected counties and States which include loans up to $2MM for certain property losses and/or economic damage. 

Beginning today, as a business owner, your first step should be to register the affected business by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or by internet at http://www.disasterassistance.gov.

Additional information is available www.fema.gov and at http://www.sba.gov/content/applying-disaster-loan.

Remember that you can call Newtek at any time, 24/7/365 at 1-855-2-THESBA or visiting online at www.thesba.com.

About Newtek Business Services, Inc.

Newtek Business Services, The Small Business Authority, provides the following products and services:

• Electronic Payment Processing: eCommerce, electronic solutions to accept non-cash payments, including credit and debit cards, check conversion, remote deposit capture, ACH processing, and electronic gift and loyalty card programs.
• Managed Technology Solutions (Cloud Computing): Full-service web host, which offers eCommerce solutions, shared and dedicated web hosting and related services including domain registration and online shopping cart tools.
• eCommerce:  A suite of services that enable small businesses to get up and running on-line quickly and cost effectively, with integrated web design, payment processing and shopping cart services.
• Business Lending: Broad array of lending products including SBA 7(a) and SBA 504 loans through our lending subsidiary, Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.    
• Insurance Services: Commercial and personal lines of insurance, including health and employee benefits in all 50 states, working with over 40 insurance carriers.
• Web Services: Customized web design and development services.
• Data Backup, Storage and Retrieval: Fast, secure, off-site data backup, storage and retrieval designed to meet the specific regulatory and compliance needs of any business.
• Accounts Receivable Financing: Receivable purchasing and financing services.
• Payroll: Complete payroll management and processing services. 

Newtek Business Services, Inc., The Small Business Authority, is a direct distributor of a wide range of business services and financial products to the small- and medium-sized business market under the Newtek^TM brand. Since 1999, Newtek has helped small- and medium-sized business owners realize their potential by providing them with the essential tools needed to manage and grow their businesses and to compete effectively in today's marketplace. Newtek provides its services to over 100,000 business accounts and has positioned the Newtek^TM brand as a one-stop-shop provider of such business services. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are over 27.5 million small businesses in the United States, which in total represent 99.7% of all employer firms.

Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release including statements regarding Newtek's beliefs, expectations, intentions or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, intensified competition, operating problems and their impact on revenues and profit margins, anticipated future business strategies and financial performance, anticipated future number of customers, business prospects, legislative developments and similar matters. Risk factors, cautionary statements and other conditions, which could cause Newtek's actual results to differ from management's current expectations, are contained in Newtek's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through http://www.sec.gov.

Investor Relations
Contact: Jayne Cavuoto
Telephone: (212) 273-8179 / jcavuoto@thesba.com
Contact: Brett Maas
Telephone: (646) 536-7331 / brett@haydenir.com
Rubenstein Public Relations
Contact: Jonathan Goldberg
Telephone: (212) 843-9335 / jgoldberg@rubensteinpr.com 
http://www.thesba.com

SOURCE Newtek Business Services, Inc.