After living in rentals for 10 years, retired U.S. Army veteran Jesse Grantham and his wife were so close to realizing their dream of owning a house. All that stood in their way was the down payment.

That’s when the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) stepped in with a $4,000 Housing Assistance for Veterans (HAVEN) grant.

Mr. Grantham learned of the grant program through a friend. He applied, was approved, and used the funds for some of the couple’s closing costs. “Everything just fell into place,” he said. “We are so grateful. It really gave us peace of mind to know that the funds were there.” In fact, the process went so smoothly, he has recommended the program to other veterans, he said.

HAVEN provides grants to veterans and active-duty, reserve or National Guard service members who have been disabled in the line of duty since August 2, 1990. Funds can be used for modifications to an existing home, to offset construction costs or assist with a down payment and closing costs. In addition, the funds may be used to assist Gold Star Families impacted during this time frame. 

The HAVEN grant, like all FHLB Dallas grants, was awarded through participating member First National Bank Texas (FNBT) in Copperas Cove.

“FNBT understands the challenges our military personnel face when transitioning back to civilian life, and we want to do everything we can to support them,” said April Niswonger, assistant vice president at FNBT.

Greg Hettrick, senior vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas, commends FNBT’s commitment to veterans.

“Investing in our communities is so important,” he said. “FNBT has distributed more than $60,000 in the past 18 months to help veterans.”

Learn more at fhlb.com/haven.

Do you have a success story using FHLB Dallas programs? We would love to hear from you! Submit your story here.