FORDYCE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dangerous soft spots in the floors, particularly in the bedroom, of 65-year-old Sherrie Styles’ 45-year-old home were making it difficult to get comfortable or have guests over. Income from her part-time job as a housekeeper and Social Security was not enough to cover the cost of the repairs.
A friend alerted Ms. Styles to a Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and FBT Bank and Mortgage. Ms. Styles received nearly $6,000 in grant funds, which funded the replacement of the floor in her bedroom, leveled her home and replaced her windows.
“I was having a lot of problems with the house,” said Ms. Styles. “Now I can sit back and relax, just like God intended.”
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 FBT Bank and Mortgage.
FBT Bank and Mortgage has utilized SNAP in partnership with FHLB Dallas since the program’s inception in 2009. Since then, they have assisted 57 families by awarding $355,455 in SNAP grants.
FBT Bank and Mortgage Vice President Scott Smith worked with Ms. Styles on the SNAP application. According to Mr. Smith, there is a great need for SNAP among FBT Bank and Mortgage’s customer base.
“Many of our seniors are on fixed incomes and thanks to programs such as SNAP, they are able to make repairs to their homes they otherwise could not afford,” he said.
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 2017 SNAP funding, made available in January on a first-come, first-served basis, has been exhausted.
“We are committed to providing our members with access to programs that not only add value to their membership with FHLB Dallas, but also make a positive impact in their communities,” said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas.
To learn more about SNAP, visit fhlb.com/snap.
About FBT Bank and Mortgage
FBT Bank and Mortgage is a full service bank established in 1931. Now operating in five locations, FBT Bank and Mortgage is focused on the communities it serves, offering state-of-the-art products and services while delivering personalized attention to customers. To learn more, go to fbtbank.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 $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.
