Businesses are reaching out to help other businesses that were hit by the Sept. 17 flood.

A new group called the Business Flood Relief Advisory Group is being formed as a joint venture of North Hills Community Outreach and the Northern Allegheny Chamber of Commerce. Its goal is to help businesses in Millvale, Sharpsburg and Etna that were damaged or destroyed by the flood.

"We need to determine how we can best assist those businesses affected. This may mean fund raising, networking or trying to connect business to business," said Don Breitbarth, flood relief, small business and employment caseworker for the North Hills Community Outreach site in Millvale.

"We are hoping to partner like-minded businesses from the Northern Allegheny Chamber of Commerce with the businesses hit. For example, a florist may have just remodeled and have a cooler they could give another florist who lost their equipment."

John Comport, past president of the Northern Allegheny Chamber of Commerce, will serve on the committee.

"Right after the flood, we collected office supplies for those businesses and set up a distribution center in the North Hills. Now we need to find out what these people still need," said Comport, of Baierl Chevrolet in the northern suburbs.

That assistance may mean additional equipment, supplies or services.

"We have members of the chamber who are lawyers, so does NHCO. Maybe someone needs legal advice and we can help them," he said. "We have to get them back in business as soon as possible. We are not going to let these people down."

In addition to helping businesses reopen, Breitbarth wants to assist those who have already reopened.

"There are businesses that are back up and running. We have to get the word out that they are open and have people patronize their businesses," he said. "The holiday season wasn't that memorable for them. With January and February usually lean months anyway, we need people to come and support these businesses."

Not only will the businesses be helped but the entire area will benefit, Breitbarth said. "It is the ripple effect. It helps our businesses recover, and they hire people, the parking meters are filled -- it helps everyone in the area."

The Business Flood Relief Advisory Group, including representatives of local businesses, will meet at 3 p.m. Jan. 11 in the recently reopened P&G Diner on North Avenue in Millvale. Those interested in serving on the advisory group should contact Breitbarth at 412-821-0904.