VICKSBURG, Miss., June 2, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Irma Davis, 79, has lived most of her life in the house in Vicksburg, Mississippi, that her father bought in 1954. Now 60 years later, the house was falling apart before her eyes.
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"I lived in this house until I got married," said Ms. Davis. "Five years later, I moved back with my two children, and I have been here ever since. I worked as a nursing assistant and raised my children on my own. After I got sick I couldn't work anymore. My house always had problems, but by the time I paid for one repair, something else went wrong."
Living on a fixed income, Ms. Davis didn't have the financial resources to make all of the repairs to make her home safe. The front porch stairs were damaged by storms, and there was significant water damage around the front window. Ms. Davis was worried that the window was going to fall out of the wall.
Ms. Davis heard about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) from the city of Vicksburg. The city works with Trustmark National Bank (Trustmark), a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas), to utilize FHLB Dallas' SNAP grants. SNAP is offered by FHLB Dallas through its member institutions, like Trustmark, to provide grants to assist income-qualified, special needs homeowners with necessary home repairs and modifications.
Ms. Davis met with Leona Barnes-Stringer, housing coordinator for the city of Vicksburg, who assisted her with the application process.
"Ms. Davis was a great candidate for the SNAP grant," said Ms. Stringer. "She had some serious exterior issues at her home, and didn't have the funds to make the repairs. We removed and replaced the rotted boards, scraped off the flaking paint, and repainted. The stairs to her front porch were dangerous and could not be used, so we replaced the stairs and added handrails."
Ms. Davis received a $5,000 SNAP grant to make the repairs on her home.
"Trustmark National Bank is pleased to partner with FHLB Dallas to sponsor grants to provide home repairs for low-income homeowners," said Steffani Jenkins, first vice president and director of community development at Trustmark. "There are many Mississippi homes in great need of repair, but for homeowners on a fixed income, renovation costs can prove to be difficult. With the help of the SNAP grants, homeowners are able to have necessary repairs made, which will ultimately improve the quality of not only their homes, but also their lives."
Since SNAP's inception in 2009, more than $7.3 million in grants have been awarded through FHLB Dallas member institutions to assist 1,464 families throughout FHLB Dallas' five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas.
FHLB Dallas recently announced it would make available to members another $850,000 in SNAP funds beginning July 1, bringing the total allocation of 2014 to $1.85 million. To learn more about SNAP and other FHLB Dallas programs, visit fhlb.com.
"The SNAP grant recipients are full of gratitude," said Ms. Stringer. "The SNAP program addresses the needs of families and individuals who are not in the position to do anything to enhance their living conditions, except to wish, hope, pray, and wait."
Ms. Davis is so grateful for the repairs to her house.
"Everyone involved was so very kind," said Ms. Davis. "They fixed my front porch steps, the window, and the walls. I couldn't be happier."
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 $30.6 billion as of March 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 the FHLB Dallas website at fhlb.com.
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