Press Releases

Today U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) New England Regional Administrator Mike Vlacich and Massachusetts District Director Bob Nelson joined Congressman Richard Neal as they toured Vanished Valley Brewing Company in Ludlow to highlight the American Rescue Plan’s COVID-Relief programs and acknowledge the impact of SBA over the 69 year history of the agency.

Vanished Valley is a fast growing small-batch brewery that opened in 2016.  The business received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans to assist with their pandemic recovery and funded their expansion with SBA-guaranteed 504 loans from Freedom Credit Union and Bay Colony Certified Development Corp.

“The support of the SBA was instrumental in the growth and expansion of our brewery,” said Josh Britton, Co-founder and Head Brewer, Vanished Valley Brewing Company.  “It was an absolute pleasure to work with them and we truly appreciate all that they have done for Vanished Valley Brewing Company.”

“President Biden’s Covid-19 relief packages guaranteed that small businesses - like Vanished Valley Brewery in Ludlow - would be able to reopen their doors and keep their employees paid during and in the wake of the pandemic,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal, Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans, were a lifesaver to many small businesses across our country. On the 69^th anniversary of the SBA, President Eisenhower’s vision of providing small businesses with a voice in Washington remains strong. I’m happy to celebrate its success and the success of Vanished Valley here in Ludlow today.”

“SBA has been helping businesses like Vanished Valley Brewing Company, make and sell goods here in the US, create jobs and grow for nearly 70 years,” said Regional Administrator Vlacich. “We will continue to serve as the voice for America's 33 million small businesses for many years to come.”

“The local SBA through our Branch Office in Springfield and our District Office in Boston is here to help small businesses access our programs and services”, said Massachusetts District Director Bob Nelson. “It is both rewarding and exciting to visit our small businesses such as Vanished Valley Brewery in person and to see firsthand the successes realized by small businesses with the help of our programs.”

On July 30th, 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Small Business Act, creating the U.S. Small Business Administration to serve as the voice of small business across the nation. For nearly 70 years the SBA has been a part of the small business journey for business owners and entrepreneurs across the country, helping them start, grow, expand, and recover from disasters.

In fiscal year 2021 the SBA supported $970 million in funding through its regular loan programs. Over the life of SBA’s Covid-Relief programs, the Massachusetts small business community received $30 billion in funding.  

Businesses interested in finding out more about financing, counseling, and training programs offered by the SBA and resource partners can go to: https://www.sba.gov

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