New Heating Unit Installed and Repairs Made With Help from SNAP Grant

TUPELO, Miss., May 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Diane Bush, 61, has had trouble walking since her knee surgery in 2004. "They didn't connect the ligaments right, and now it's hard for me to get up and down," she said.  

Prior to surgery, Ms. Bush worked in housekeeping at the Comfort Inn in Tupelo, but now she is living on a fixed income. Due to limited funds, her 17-year-old home had deteriorated, and she didn't have money to make repairs, especially to the heating unit, which stopped working eight years ago.

Then she heard about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) from a friend who works at the city of Tupelo. SNAP is offered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) through its member institutions, like BNA Bank. The program provides grants to assist income-qualified, special-needs homeowners with necessary home repairs and modifications.

In the first quarter of 2015, BNA Bank was awarded $25,000 to assist five special-needs, income-qualified homeowners in Tupelo.

"It is a pleasure to be able to offer assistance to those with critical housing needs who might not be able to make the necessary repairs to their homes," said Bob Spencer, senior vice president and CFO at BNA Bank. "We appreciate FHLB Dallas for offering this program."

Ms. Bush received a $5,000 SNAP grant from FHLB Dallas and BNA Bank, which paid for many necessary repairs to her home.

Lynda Ford, community development specialist with the city of Tupelo, was instrumental in helping Ms. Bush apply for the SNAP grant. "At Ms. Bush's house, a new heater was installed. The bathroom floor was repaired, and a new panel box was added with the necessary wiring upgrades," she said.

"Ms. Bush was freezing in her house, and it had only two outlets that worked. All the cords were running to those two plugs. I was very surprised and thankful that the house had not burned down." 

In 2015, FHLB Dallas will make $1.5 million in SNAP grants available. The first $750,000 in grants, offered in January, were snapped up in only 11 days. More than 30 FHLB Dallas member institutions distributed the funds to more than 150 special-needs homeowners across FHLB Dallas' five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas. The second offering of $750,000 will be available to member institutions August 3.

"The city of Tupelo works well with our members in providing grants to some of its most vulnerable residents," said Greg Hettrick, vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. "Their hard work and dedication shows. In 2014, Tupelo received more SNAP grants than any other location in Mississippi."

When asked how this experience has changed her life, Ms. Bush could not speak. Through tears, she said "I get so emotional when I try to talk about it."

Since SNAP's inception in 2009, nearly $9.2 million has been awarded in grants through member institutions to assist 1,846 families across FHLB Dallas' five-state District. In 2014, Mississippi received more than $640,000 in SNAP funding to repair or modify 132 housing units.

About BNA Bank

BNA Bank, established in 1896, is a state-chartered bank with approximately $425 million in assets. BNA's main office and two branch offices are located in New Albany with another branch located in Myrtle, Mississippi and two in Tupelo and Lee County, Mississippi.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 12 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $36.9 billion as of March 31, 2015 is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 865 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas. For more information, visit fhlb.com.

Contact:

Corporate Communications
Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
www.fhlb.com
(214) 441-8445

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SOURCE Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

Related Links

http://www.fhlb.com