PITCHING IN
$287K grant aids WaDi Housing
Thanks in part to a $287,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant from Century Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas), WaDi Housing, a 41-unit apartment community for very low- and low-income residents in the Santo Domingo Pueblo, has opened.
The grant was awarded to the Santo Domingo Tribal Housing Authority (SDTHA), which spearheaded the construction project. The grant provided gap funding for the project, which was also funded by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department, Raymond James Financial, the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority and Native Capital Access.
SDTHA Executive Director Greta Armijo said the rental community will help alleviate overcrowded housing conditions and improve employment, economic and environmental conditions. Armijo also said that without the AHP grant, the organization would have had to reduce the number of units and build 38 or 39 units instead of 41.
“The community is connected to a historic main village through a two-mile walking trail system, providing residents with better access to public transportation,” said Ms. Armijo. “Some of the local tribal history and traditions will be preserved through the
classes offered in our new community center, as well.”
In addition to constructing 41 new units, the project also included the new construction of a 3,000 square-foot community center, which will provide financial literacy classes, childcare and Keres language (the dialect cluster spoken by the local native groups) classes for residents.
“There is a great need for affordable housing in this area,” said Century Bank Chairman Bryan “Chip” Chippeaux. “As longtime users of the AHP, Century Bank is proud to support the community in this regard.”
FHLB Dallas annually returns 10 percent of its profits in the form of AHP grants to the communities served by its member institutions, like Century Bank. AHP grants fund a variety of projects, including home rehabilitation and modifications for low-income, elderly and special-needs residents; down payment and closing cost assistance for qualified first-time home buyers; and the construction of lowincome, multifamily rental communities and singlefamily homes.
“The AHP was designed for projects just like this,” said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. “Our goal is to help our members provide easy access to affordable housing through the AHP. This wouldn’t be possible without our longtime partnership with Century Bank.”
Walmart grants help 6 nonprofits
Six New Mexico nonprofits have received a share of $244,000 in grants from the Walmart
Foundation to help fight hunger in New Mexico.
A report recently released by Map the Meal Gap 2017 shows that one in six people in New Mexico is at risk for hunger, one in four children are at risk. That places our state second worst in the country when it comes to hunger.
To celebrate Hunger Action Month, Walmart stepped forward with grants to six New Mexico nonprofits for programs focused on hunger relief in the state.
“These grants will go a long way towards helping address hunger in New Mexico,” said Paula Ginnett, Walmart vice president and regional general manager for New Mexico. “It’s great to see these organizations creating programs that help New Mexicans throughout the state.”
Walmart also participates in food rescue programs with food banks throughout the state. This year, to date, New Mexico Walmart stores, the Distribution Center, and Sam’s Clubs have donated 4,396,558 pounds of food to Roadrunner Food Bank’s Food Rescue Program in New Mexico.
Organizations receiving grants include El Caldito, based in Las Cruces; Casa de Peregrinos, based in Las Cruces: New Mexico Association of Food Banks, a statewide association; St. Martin’s Hospitality Center, based in Albuquerque; and Albuquerque Meals on Wheels, based in Albuquerque and serving the metro area.
Prospective grantee organizations must submit applications through the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program’s online grant application. Applicants must have a current 501(c)(3) taxexempt status in order to meet the program’s minimum eligibility criteria. Additional information about the program’s funding guidelines and application process are available online at http://giving.walmart.com/foundation.