SNAP Grant from Concordia Bank and FHLB Dallas Helps Save Home from Unlikely Hazard
NATCHEZ, Miss., March 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mature trees normally provide more than beauty and shade to a home. They often add significant value. But that wasn't the case with a towering oak tree on Bobby J. White's property in Natchez. The tree was planted too close to the home and had become a major safety hazard.
"The tree was close to falling on the house," Mrs. White said. A split in its trunk and high winds often brought down large branches, she said, noting that a limb once took out the electricity.
"I was always scared, and I couldn't let the grandchildren play out there," she said. At one time, Mrs. White said she paid $800 to have a portion of the tree trimmed, but taking it down entirely was a huge undertaking and very expensive due to its size.
When Mrs. White, 66, heard from a relative about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP), she decided to apply. SNAP is offered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) through its member institutions. The program provides grants to assist income-qualified, special-needs homeowners with necessary home repairs and modifications.
Mrs. White was approved for a $5,000 SNAP grant, which was awarded through FHLB Dallas member institution, Concordia Bank & Trust. Mrs. White said her home was "in rough shape" and could use a number of repairs, but the tree was the most pressing issue.
"It was a great help, a tremendous help," she said of the grant, which funded the tree's removal.
James Johnston, community development director for the city of Natchez, said the city has administered the grant program on behalf of two local banks and FHLB Dallas for several years. During that time, the city has helped 40 residents obtain SNAP funding.
"SNAP focuses on health and safety repairs, not cosmetic renovations," Mr. Johnston said. "We are pleased that this program was available to help Mrs. White and provide peace of mind that a huge imposing tree was not going to come crashing through her roof."
Glynn Laird, senior vice president at Concordia Bank & Trust, said the bank looks for opportunities to get involved in the community, and the SNAP program has been a good outlet for this neighborhood outreach. "This grant program has done a lot of good for the people of Natchez," he said. "We hope to be a part of it for many years to come."
Since SNAP's inception in 2009, nearly $9.2 million has been awarded in grants through FHLB Dallas member institutions to assist 1,846 families across FHLB Dallas' five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas.
About Concordia Bank & Trust
Concordia Bank & Trust has many customers in Natchez and surrounding areas. Its origins date to 1903 as the Bank of Vidalia in Vidalia, La. Its approach to banking is simple: Provide banking products that its customers want with hometown customer service. The bank's assets of $25,000 in its first year of business have grown to more than $530 million today.
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 $38 billion as of December 31, 2014, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 900 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
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