Special Needs Assistance Program Grant Provides Couple with Home Repairs
Guaranty Bank & Trust Partnered with FHLB Dallas to Help Fund Renovations
MT. PLEASANT, TEXAS – July 1, 2016 – (RealEstateRama) — Mattie Standberry has lived a life of service, using her time and talents to help others. After working as a restaurant cook, she spent the last 15 years of her career as a home health nurse. Now at age 70, Mrs. Standberry spends much of her time caring for her husband, who has larynx cancer.
When a leg amputation caused Mrs. Standberry to retire from her job as a home health nurse, the Standberrys found themselves living on a fixed income and unable to make repairs to their home. As a result, their ceiling leaked for seven years, as other areas in the house also fell into disrepair. Mrs. Standberry learned about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) after a friend suggested that she apply. The program’s aim is to assist income-qualified, special-needs homeowners with critical home repairs and modifications. The program is offered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) through its member institutions, including Guaranty Bank & Trust in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.
Mrs. Standberry took her friend’s advice, applied for the grant, and FHLB Dallas awarded her $4,989 through Guaranty Bank & Trust. Once her roof was repaired and the leaks stopped, the SNAP grant helped repair the damaged ceiling, and replaced the carpet with hardwood flooring.
Guaranty Bank & Trust Assistant Vice President Jey Yancey worked with Mrs. Standberry during the application process. While this was his first time working with the SNAP, he said that through Guaranty Bank & Trust’s partnership with FHLB Dallas, 20 families have benefited from the program since 2013.
“Guaranty Bank & Trust is proud to be a part of a program that provides this type of assistance to low income families,” said Mr. Yancey. “This program is a win-win for both the families and our community.”
Mrs. Standberry said that fixing the leaky ceiling and replacing the carpet with hardwood flooring have proven to be a great benefit for her and her husband, whose tracheostomy tube did not tolerate the dust produced by the carpet. With the new hardwood floors, she said the air is clean and easy to breathe.
“It made it a lot easier on me,” Mrs. Standberry said. “I don’t have to worry about shampooing and drying the carpet. Now that the dust is gone, my husband can breathe much easier.”
The repairs also included renovations to Mrs. Standberry’s wheelchair ramp leading up to the front door, which was redone and covered with new carpet. The toilet was also repaired, as well as several windows and window frames. The Standberrys, who have called this house their home for more than 24 years, also occasionally care for their three-year-old grandson, so safety is important to them.
In 2015, FHLB Dallas awarded nearly $1.5 million in SNAP grants that assisted 319 families. The $1 million in 2016 SNAP funding, made available in January on a first-come, first-served basis, has been exhausted.
“FHLB Dallas is proud to partner with Guaranty Bank & Trust to help local families in need,” said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. “We hope to continue to help residents through our program and our continued partnership with Guaranty Bank & Trust.”
About Guaranty Bank & Trust
Guaranty Bancshares, Inc., is the holding company for Guaranty Bank & Trust, a $1.7 billion asset community banking organization with a 100-year history of strength and stability, with a proven track record of success in serving its customers and shareholders. As one of the oldest and most respected regional community banks in Texas, Guaranty provides its customers with a full array of relationship driven commercial and consumer banking services, as well as mortgage, trust, and wealth management products and services that are tailored to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses, professionals, and individuals. Guaranty has 26 bank locations across 18 Texas markets. Additional information about Guaranty Bank & Trust and its full line of products and services can be found at gnty.com.
About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $49.5 billion as of March 31, 2016, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 850 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
