MCKINNEY, Texas, Dec. 1, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Representatives of Independent Bank and FHLB Dallas gathered on Tuesday to award a $20,000 Partnership Grant Program (PGP) award to MannaWorks, a nonprofit construction ministry based in Waco, Texas. The grant funds will assist with operational expenses as MannaWorks continues to serve the maintenance needs of local nonprofit organizations.
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MannaWorks was founded in 2008 by Roy Karr and Kevin Diserens to assist other area nonprofit organizations with maintenance and repairs to their office buildings. Mr. Karr and Mr. Diserens have years of home building and commercial maintenance experience, and wanted to donate their time and energy to helping other nonprofit organizations with maintenance repairs so that these organizations may contribute more funding to helping those less-fortunate in the community.
"Nonprofit organizations have very small budgets for things like maintenance repair," said Mr. Karr, who is now executive director at MannaWorks. "When the air conditioning unit breaks, or the roof begins leaking, it really puts a strain on their budgets to make these costly repairs. So, we come in and perform the work at a very discounted price, and sometimes we can even do it for free, so that these organizations can use more money to help individuals and families in need of their services."
MannaWorks addresses electrical, plumbing, and ventilation needs, as well as roofing, flooring, and sheetrock repairs. To perform the labor, the MannaWorks "Works Program" hires men that are considered "unemployable" by the workforce. These men are often homeless, recently released from prison, or have mental disabilities. The Works Program seeks out these men, and trains them to be responsible and productive employees.
"Instead of looking for the most qualified employees, we look for the most unqualified employees and train them to be responsible professionals," said Mr. Karr. "Many of these men have been out of the workforce for so long that they do not know how to take orders from a boss or follow a work schedule. We teach them to get along with others in the work environment, as well as how to be on time and stay for the duration of their shift. Our goal is to help these men become dependable employees so that they show up for work on time, everyday, and we hope that after working for us, they will be ready for the workforce and we can serve as a positive reference."
The $20,000 in grant funds will assist MannaWorks with operating costs, such as purchasing materials, paying bills, and hiring men for the Works Program. Being a young organization, Mr. Karr said he is very grateful for Independent Bank and FHLB Dallas's support, and this grant will go a long way for his organization.
"We are just very appreciative of the support," said Mr. Karr. "This type of funding is very important for what we do. We want to help nonprofit organizations save on their expenses, as well as hire people that really can't get a job anywhere else. But, we need money to operate as well, and this grant will help us cover our expenses so that we can donate more time and labor to the community."
Independent Bank CRA Officer James Tippit worked with Mr. Karr to obtain the PGP funds. PGP grants are awarded through FHLB Dallas member institutions, such as Independent Bank, to assist with the operational needs of nonprofit, community-based organizations involved in affordable housing and community development. Partnership grants are based on cash contributions of $500 to $5,000 made by FHLB Dallas member institutions, which FHLB Dallas matches at a 3:1 ratio. Independent Bank contributed $5,000 to MannaWorks, which resulted in a $20,000 PGP grant through FHLB Dallas. FHLB Dallas awarded $225,000 in PGP grants this year.
"As a community bank, Independent Bank strives to make a difference in our local communities," said Mr. Tippit. "We do this by partnering with organizations that are doing great work in our community. MannaWorks is definitely one of these organizations. It significantly helps other nonprofits maximize their dollar in construction and facilities costs so that more money goes to help people in need. We are proud to work with FHLB Dallas to award MannaWorks this grant. "
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 $31.4 billion as of September 30, 2011, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced advances and other credit products to more than 900 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas.
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