FORDYCE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Isolea Cranford used to fill up pans with warm water every day, which she would use to wash dishes and make food. Rusted pipes and leaks prevented the retired 63-year-old from using her bathroom and kitchen for an entire year.
When she learned about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) from a family member who had received it, she felt her prayers had been answered. SNAP grants assist income-qualified, special-needs homeowners with necessary home repairs and modifications. The grants are awarded by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) through participating member institutions, such as FBT Bank and Mortgage.
Living on disability, Ms. Cranford’s fixed income wasn’t enough to cover the repairs that her home desperately needed. She received $3,935 from FHLB Dallas and FBT Bank and Mortgage to repair the rusted pipes in her home, as well as a new sink and toilet in her restroom, which had been damaged by the leaking water.
“I had to get it done because I couldn’t live like that anymore,” said Ms. Cranford. “I’m able to enjoy my house now.”
Three years ago, Ms. Cranford was hospitalized for nine days after being hit by a van while walking. She broke her pelvis in three places and now suffers from chronic pain. FBT Bank and Mortgage Vice President Scott Smith worked with Ms. Cranford on the SNAP application. He said the grant program allows seniors and disabled residents to get repairs for their homes they cannot otherwise afford.
“Ms. Cranford has been through a lot and no one should have to live the way she did,” said Mr. Smith. “Thanks to our partnership with FHLB Dallas, we’re able to help Ms. Cranford live more comfortably in her home.”
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.
“SNAP not only improves the lives of local seniors, but is also a program that enables our members – many of which are community banks – to give back to the community,” 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.
