ABERDEEN, Miss., April 2, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carolyn Pugh has lived through a lot lately.
Perhaps at the top of the list is surviving a brain surgery over the summer to remove a cancerous tumor, followed by a series of post-operative radiation treatments.
Her memory from the last few months before the tumor was removed isn't great, but she's thankful that her grandchildren — two of whom are nurses — noticed changes in her behavior and got her to a doctor to be checked out. That's when the tumor was discovered.
Ms. Pugh, 73, doesn't remember, for example, how she heard about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP). But she's thankful the program was there to fund much-needed repairs to her home.
SNAP grants are offered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) through participating member institutions, to help qualified, special-needs households with home repairs and modifications. Ms. Pugh's grant was offered through Community Bank in Aberdeen, Mississippi.
With the grant funds, Ms. Pugh had a rotted front porch removed and replaced. She knew it was in bad shape when her porch swing came crashing down while she and a grandson were swinging in it. Nobody was hurt, but the beams overhead had rotted through from standing water that would collect on the roof when it rained. Her new porch includes a metal roof.
"It looks pretty good when you look at it because they put siding underneath," she said.
A back deck was also removed and new floorboards and vents were installed in the back portion of her home.
Ms. Pugh is one of nine people in the Aberdeen area who received SNAP funds in 2013 for necessary repairs to their homes.
Community volunteer Ann Tackett learned of the program and now helps residents work through the application process.
"Our residents were extremely grateful to have this assistance to make home repairs that they could not have afforded to do themselves, but which were critical repairs that really needed to be addressed," Ms. Tackett said. "It's so rewarding to help people whose needs are so dire. I'm hopeful that we can help even more people this year."
More than $7.3 million in SNAP grants have been awarded through FHLB Dallas member institutions since the program was implemented in 2009. FHLB Dallas has made an initial SNAP offering of $1 million in 2014, and plans to announce more funding in July.
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 $30.2 billion as of December 31, 2013, 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 the FHLB Dallas website at fhlb.com.