• June 14, 2018

Home Bank and FHLB Dallas Partner to Provide $5,000

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI, June 14, 2018 – Two years ago, Natchez, Mississippi, teacher's aide Linda M. Jones noticed a roof leak and contacted her insurance company.

Unfortunately, her insurer at the time denied a full roof replacement on her house, built in the 1970s, and instead approved a patch, but the problem persisted.

Ms. Jones, 62, applied for a Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) grant. Her daughter learned of the program through an article on a grant recipient that ran in the   local newspaper.

Ms. Jones was approved for a $4,862 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and member Home Bank.

Awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, SNAP grants provide funding for the repair and rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing of eligible, special-needs individuals, which can qualify for the grants based on age, disabilities, income and other eligibility standards.

"The city of Natchez has been a long-time proponent of SNAP and has assisted just over 100 of our residents in the application process over the years," Natchez Mayor Darryl V. Grennell said.

Since SNAP's inception in 2009, more than $13.1 million has been awarded in grants through FHLB Dallas member institutions to assist more than 2,600 families across FHLB Dallas' five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. The $2 million in 2018 SNAP funding, made available in January on a first-come, first-served basis, has been exhausted.

Home Bank Vice President and CRA Officer Brandon Kelly said the grant is a great example of the good that SNAP does for residents in the city of Natchez.

"This was a critical safety issue for Miss Jones, and we are so thankful that she now has peace of mind about her home's ability to withstand the next rain storm," Mr. Kelly said. "The SNAP grant made it all possible."

Without the SNAP grant, Ms. Jones said she likely would have had to seek a bank loan to get the roof repaired due to safety concerns. Rain was leaking through the light fixtures in a bathroom, a possible electrical fire hazard, she said.

"I was really so happy to get the new roof," Ms. Jones said. "It meant a great deal to me. It made me feel a whole lot better."

Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas, said community investment programs such as SNAP don't work without vital partnerships.  

"SNAP has been a successful program in Natchez through a long-standing partnership that includes the city's community development department and members such as Home Bank," said Mr. Hettrick. "It feels good to be able to help in-need citizens like Ms. Jones."

To learn more about SNAP, visit fhlb.com/snap.

About Home Bank

With 39 locations across South Louisiana and Western Mississippi, Home Bank is committed to serving the needs of its communities. Personal banking has always been Home Bank's trademark, and that tradition continues as the company grows, invests and serves its clients and community. For more information about Home Bank, visit www.home24bank.com.

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 $65.1 billion as of March 31, 2018, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community investment by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 825 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit fhlb.com.

Contact Information:

Corporate Communications
Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
fhlb.com
214.441.8445