FORDYCE, Ark., April 2, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rosemary Carr desperately needed a larger bathroom. An accident at work in 2003 resulted in several knee surgeries and debilitating pain that causes her to require a walker or wheelchair when she is in too much pain to walk.
"My bathroom is very small. I couldn't get a wheelchair inside it or even a walker. It's like a walk-in closet – you walk in and you walk out," said Mrs. Carr. Mrs. Carr and her retired husband live on a fixed income, and the couple couldn't afford to modify the bathroom on their own.
Mrs. Carr heard about a program that FBT Bank & Mortgage offered that could take care of the cost to add a bathroom to her home. After looking into her options, she found that adding a bathroom was less expensive than modifying the bathroom she already had.
The Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP), a grant program offered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) through members like FBT Bank & Mortgage, provides grants to assist income-qualified, special needs homeowners with necessary home repairs and modifications. The program was established in 2009 by FHLB Dallas and is available through its member institutions. Since its inception, SNAP has awarded more than $6 million in grant funds to 1,260 eligible homeowners.
Mrs. Carr was awarded a $5,000 SNAP grant which paid for the addition of a bathroom, including a walk-in shower so she didn't have to step into a tub, and a handicap-accessible toilet.
"I'm so happy. The bathroom has made a big difference," Mrs. Carr said. "I can walk in and if I need to go with my wheelchair or walker I can do that, too. My income is very small and after I got hurt on my job I went through my savings waiting for workers compensation to pay out. I didn't have anything left."
Mrs. Carr is a perfect example of the individuals the SNAP grants are designed to assist, said Scott Smith, Vice President at FBT Bank & Mortgage.
"What a great program offered by the FHLB of Dallas," Mr. Smith said. "We are thankful that people and families in our surrounding communities just like Mrs. Carr have had their living conditions much improved because of the SNAP grants. Many of the grant recipients could not have taken on the financial burden these improvements would have caused."
In 2012, FHLB Dallas awarded $1.34 million in SNAP grants to eligible families across its District. FHLB Dallas allocated another $1 million in 2013 for SNAP grants.
Mrs. Carr doesn't know what she would have done without the help of the SNAP grant.
"When I purchased the house I was in good health," she said. "When it became apparent I needed a larger bathroom, I would try to save birthday or Christmas money from my children to pay for the construction, but I always ended up having to spend it on a bill. I'm just thankful that this program was available for us."
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 $35.8 billion as of December 31, 2012, 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.
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3013