Liberty National Bank and First Federal Community Bank in Paris have teamed up with Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) in Dallas to award the New Hope Center of Paris Women’s Transitional Shelter a $20,000 Partnership Grant to help purchase kitchen appliances and items for laundry facilities at the new shelter site in Paris.
The New Hope Center is currently in the construction phase at the new site, which is at the corner of 4th and Sherman Streets.
The building currently houses the Paris/Lamar County Health Department and ETCADA, which recently moved in; however, with extra lease space available, even with the shelter in place, the organization plans to continue to rent property to other interested businesses.
The new shelter will be updated and will provide even more adequate space and amenities needed for the Hope Center’s mission of providing housing, food and other support services to low-income women and their children recovering from homelessness.
This year alone, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas has awarded $225,000 in grants through its Partnership Grant Program, according to FHLB officials.
These grants provide funding for the operational needs of community-based organizations involved in affordable housing and community development, officials said.
A presentation of the grant check to the local organization will take place on Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the New Hope Center’s current location — 777 Bonham St. — in the chapel.
Officials in attendance to present and receive the grant:
- Gay Ballew, Executive Director, New Hope Center of Paris
- Richard Amis, President and CEO, First Federal Community Bank
- Carl Cecil, President, Liberty National Bank
- Teresa Woodard, Vice President, Mortgage Lending, Liberty National Bank
- Greg Hettrick, Vice President, Director of Community Investment, FHLB Dallas
- Andrea Williams, Chief of Staff for State Representative George Lavender, District 1
- Lawrence Malone, Commissioner Precinct One, Lamar County Commissioners Court
- Lonnie Layton, Commissioner Precinct Two, Lamar County Commissioners Court
- Rodney Pollard, Commissioner Precinct Three, Lamar County Commissioners Court
- Keith Mitchell, Commissioner Precinct Four, Lamar County Commissioners Court
All media and the public are invited to attend the event.
For more information about the New Hope Center or to donate to their cause, please visit the website at www.NewHopeCenterParis.org.
By Josh Allen, eParisExtra