Whitney National Bank is participating in a collaborative effort with Habitat for Humanity and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas to provide homeownership opportunities to low-income households in St. Tammany Parish.

“Whitney Bankers are committed to improving the communities we serve, and an important part of that endeavor is being a catalyst for building thriving neighborhoods,” said John C. Hope, III, Whitney Chairman and CEO. “This has been a challenging time for anyone struggling to achieve the American dream of homeownership. By working resourcefully with our partners we can turn that dream into reality for many deserving families.”

Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West will have $300,000 in FHLB Dallas grant funds available to assist 30 qualified first time homebuyers. Prospective homeowners are identified by Habitat for Humanity, and after receiving homebuyer training and credit counseling, the families can access the grant money for the purchase of their home. “A major obstacle for many potential homeowners is accumulating enough savings for a down payment and closing costs,” said Sunada Henderson, Whitney Community Affairs Officer. “While this can seem insurmountable to a low-income family, access to these grants lowers those barriers and makes homeownership a tangible goal; more than just a dream.”

Whitney has participated in FHLB Dallas’s Affordable Housing Program since 2000. During that time, more than 325 families have benefited from more than $3.4 million in grants obtained by Whitney National Bank through the FHLB Dallas’s Community Investment Programs.

Whitney has participated in other FHLB of Dallas grant programs that are awarded on a first come first serve basis, including the FHLB Dallas’s Homebuyer Equity Leverage Partnership program, which provides grant funds for down payment and closing costs of eligible first-time homebuyers and the Special Needs Assistance Program, which provides grant funds for rehabilitation costs of special needs households.