Arkansas Woman in Need Receives Subsidy for Home Repairs

Citizens Bank and FHLB Dallas Assist Homeowner

CARTHAGE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Living on a fixed disability income, 60-year-old Frances Johnson does her best to cover her expenses, but it has been difficult for her to afford necessary repairs for her Carthage, Arkansas, home.

Fortunately, Ms. Johnson applied for and was awarded a $5,418 Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) subsidy through Citizens Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas). The subsidy helped repaint her interior walls and remove mold that was caused by a leak several years ago. She was also able to replace some corroded bathroom fixtures.

“There were several things I needed to get done, and SNAP helped make it happen,” said Ms. Johnson. “Being on a fixed income, I didn’t want to worry about taking out a loan to fund these repairs.”

Chris Lampkin, market president, Southeast Arkansas at Citizens Bank, helped Ms. Johnson apply for the subsidy and commended the program.

“Programs such as SNAP help community banks like us create such a lasting impact on older and disabled adults, many of whom we consider our neighbors,” said Mr. Lampkin. “I appreciate the partnership we have with FHLB Dallas to make these subsidies available to our community. We also want to acknowledge the support and participation our dedicated city property inspection managers put in to facilitate this process.”

Through member institutions such as Citizens Bank, SNAP provides subsidies for the repair and rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing of eligible, special-needs individuals. The maximum SNAP award per household is $6,000 unless the member or another lender contributes $350 toward the rehabilitation costs and/or inspection fees. Then the maximum award per household is $7,000.

FHLB Dallas set aside $2.5 million of its 2021 Affordable Housing Program funds for SNAP, and all SNAP funds were allocated in January for the highly sought-after program. Last year, FHLB Dallas awarded $2.5 million in SNAP subsidies that assisted 421 families. Since the program’s 2009 inception, nearly $20.5 million in funding has been awarded across FHLB Dallas’ five-state District.

“Taking out a loan to make repairs can be challenging for individuals on fixed incomes,” said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. “We are pleased to partner with Citizens Bank to provide assistance to Ms. Johnson to make needed repairs to her home.”

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

About The Citizens Bank

Citizens Bank was founded in 1953 by a group of business and civic leaders. Citizens Bank, with assets exceeding $1.1 billion, is a financial services organization that is committed to serving the needs of the communities it serves. Its progressive community banking model focuses on the delivery of exceptional customer service while employing advanced technology and products which allow its customers to have one bank to serve all their needs. The bank takes pride in a heritage of independence that honors the vision of its founders, and remains dedicated to the financial progress of the people it serves. For more information about Citizens Bank and its talented team of leaders, visit TheCitizensBank.net.

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 $58.6 billion as of June 30, 2021, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 800 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com.