SNAP Provides New Roof to Retired Natchez Woman, Announces FHLB Dallas

NATCHEZ, Miss., Feb. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Linda Faye Blanton spent many of her working years as the overnight manager at a center for battered women.

It was a stressful job but a rewarding one. Now age 65, she is retired and lives on a small retirement check and Social Security. Her home is a modest wood-frame structure, where she lives with and cares for her disabled granddaughter.

Her monthly fixed income wasn't enough to finance the roof replacement she needed, so when Mrs. Blanton saw an advertisement in the newspaper about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP), she decided to apply.

"My roof had been on there for 19 years, and it was bad," Mrs. Blanton said. "It hadn't started leaking yet, but it was about to start. When the wind blew, a lot of shingles would blow onto the ground."

Mrs. Blanton qualified for a $4,250 SNAP grant from Concordia Bank & Trust and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas). SNAP grants are offered by FHLB Dallas through its member institutions, like Concordia Bank & Trust. The program provides grants to assist income-qualified, special-needs homeowners with necessary home repairs and modifications.

After the work was done, the house looked liked it had received a much-needed facelift.

"Everyone on the street talked about how wonderful it looks," Mrs. Blanton said. "We have had plenty of rain since the new roof went on, and we haven't had any leaks."

Glynn Laird, senior vice president at Concordia Bank & Trust, said the bank appreciates the opportunity to partner with the city of Natchez, Mississippi, and FHLB Dallas on SNAP. "The people receiving these grants are so appreciative of the work," he said. "We are happy to be a part of it."

Natchez Mayor Butch Brown said SNAP reaches residents who need a helping hand. "SNAP is there as a safety net and has done a lot of good in our community, helping people in need," he said.

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.

"FHLB Dallas is pleased to support communities served by our members," said Greg Hettrick, vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. "We realize there is a tremendous need for the type of specialized assistance that SNAP provides, and we are honored to be a catalyst for positive change."

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 $37.5 billion as of September 30, 2014, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and economic  development by providing competitively priced advances and other credit products to approximately 900 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas. To learn more about SNAP and other FHLB Dallas programs, 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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