TMCnet News
$6,000 Grant Awarded to Retired Shreveport VA Hospital EmployeeWillie Brown noticed that his roof started leaking into the office of his Shreveport, Louisiana, home, where he spends a lot of time. The 86-year-old retired Veterans Affairs hospital worker needed immediate help, but couldn't afford the repairs on his fixed income. Mr. Brown, who has lived in the same home for 31 years, found out about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) through a neighborhood volunteer event, "Paint Your Heart Out," in Shreveport, Louisiana. "During the 'Paint Your Heart Out' event, a contractor that came to the house told me that we had serious problems that needed to get fixed right away," said Mr. Brown. "We got in contact with Red River Bank and they were able to help us out." Mr. Brown received $6,000 in SNAP funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and Red River Bank. The funds were used to fix the damaged roof, which stopped water from leaking into Mr. Brown's office. SNAP grants assist income-qualified, special-needs homeowners with necessary home repairs and modifications. The grants are awarded by FHLB Dallas through participating member institutions, such as Red River Bank. "Red River Bank partners with FHLB Dallas to help those in need just like Mr. Brown," said Judy Madison, assistant vice president, Community Outreach, Mortgage Lending at Red River Bank. "As a community bank, we strive to give back to our communityevery day." Since SNAP's inception in 2009, more than $11.6 million has been awarded in grants through FHLB Dallas member institutions to assist more than 2,300 families across FHLB Dallas' five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. In 2016, FHLB Dallas awarded nearly $1 million in SNAP grants that assisted 205 families. The $1.5 million in 2017 SNAP funding, made available in January on a first-come, first-served basis, has been exhausted. "A great thing about SNAP is our partnership with banks like Red River Bank to help in-need residents," said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. Mr. Brown said his life is easier, thanks to the grant. "The new roof stops the leaking into my office," said Mr. Brown. "It makes the house safer and easier to take care of." To learn more about SNAP, visit fhlb.com/snap. About Red River Bank Red River Bank is a full service community bank headquartered in Alexandria, Louisiana. Red River Bank was chartered in 1998 in Rapides Parish and began operating its first banking center in Alexandria in 1999. Red River Bank offers consumer and commercial banking services and products, mortgage lending services, and investment services. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $57.5 billion as of March 31, 2017, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community investment by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 850 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit fhlb.com.
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