FHLB Dallas and Origin Bank Celebrate Awarding $2M in Affordable Housing Program Funds to Support The Wellspring’s Holly Haven

Holly Haven Will Serve Unsheltered Families

MONROE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new campus slated to open early 2027 to assist families experiencing homelessness in Monroe, Louisiana, received much needed support in the form of a $2 million Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas), awarded through member Origin Bank. The banks celebrated awarding the funds to The Wellspring Alliance for Families Inc. (The Wellspring) during a ceremonial check presentation today.

The AHP grant will support the development of Holly Haven, a private-living housing campus designed to serve unsheltered families and individuals, including those escaping domestic violence.

“This grant is crucial to the construction of a facility with private living spaces where families and individuals escaping trauma can find not just safety but also privacy and dignity,” said The Wellspring’s President and CEO Caroline Cascio. “Holly Haven will launch a new era of service delivery for The Wellspring and we are grateful to FHLB Dallas and Origin Bank for their support of this development, which will create a pathway to stability and self-sufficiency for families in Northeast Louisiana.”

The Holly Haven campus will house two private-living facilities, one on the north side and the other on the south side of Holly Street in Monroe. Together, the two facilities will offer 28 units, some of which will adjoin to accommodate larger families. Both facilities will be equipped to meet the basic needs of those in residence and will be adjacent to service sites, including case management, safety planning and support groups for adults and children.

“We’re proud to support The Wellspring and the creation of a facility that will offer both adults and children in our community a safe haven during trying times of their lives,” said Origin Bank’s Senior Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager Rick Guillot. “This project aligns with Origin’s purpose of enriching the lives of people in our community.”

AHP funds are awarded through FHLB Dallas member institutions and assist FHLB Dallas members in financing the purchase, construction and rehabilitation of owner-occupied, rental or transitional housing and housing for homeless individuals. The funds must be used to benefit households with incomes at or below 80 percent of the median income for the area.

“Whether in bustling urban centers or underserved rural communities, everyone deserves a place to feel secure and supported,” said Greg Hettrick, senior vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. “We’re proud to fund a project that will offer families in this community a vital lifeline, close to home, during times of crisis.”

In 2024, FHLB Dallas awarded $21.7 million in AHP General Fund grants to Louisiana-based affordable housing projects. The grants will help create 684 new or rehabilitated housing units. FHLB Dallas will announce 2025 grant awardees this fall. Learn more about the FHLB Dallas Affordable Housing Program.

About Origin Bank

Deeply rooted in Origin’s history is a culture committed to providing personalized, relationship banking to businesses, municipalities and personal clients to enrich the lives of the people in the communities it serves. Origin offers a broad range of financial services and currently operates more than 55 banking centers located throughout Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

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 $109.9 billion as of March 31, 2025, 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 fhlb.com.