First National Bank obtains $40,000 grant for Habitat

First National Bank has long helped local families buy the home of their dreams. Now thanks to a $40,017 grant, the bank is helping Habitat for Humanity reach its goal of building two homes a year.

The grant was given to Habitat for Humanity on Monday by bank senior vice president Dewayne Woods, who is also a member of the Habitat board of directors, and bank marketing director Helen G. Martin.

?We believe the program is a good one,? said Woods. ?With the help of Kay Ramsey and Habitat we successfully obtained this grant. Kay is a good person and a respected member of the community. We like to work with her whenever we can.?

The bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati. Membership allows First National to apply for Affordable Housing grants offered through that bank.

Along with getting that grant, the bank supports Habitat by encouraging employees to donate time to the program. While each house is being built, one day is set aside so employees can help paint.

Habitat secretary and longtime member Kay Ramsey accepted the grant and thanked First National for everything employees have done, and continue to do, for Habitat.

?We were so excited when we heard we got the funds,? said Ramsey. ?It was wonderful. First National has stepped up and thanks to them we will have the funds for one of the two houses we want to build for the next four years.?

The $40,017 grant must be used at $10,000 per house. That amounts to funding for four houses, which is almost half the cost of one house.

Along with the $10,000-a-year, five-year commitment by the bank made earlier this year, the donations and grant will essentially build one house a year.

Along with having a goal of two houses per year, Habitat will be reaching a milestone soon. When the next house is complete, it will mark 14 completed homes. Payments from the first 14 will go to fund one house per year. After 28 have been completed, those payments will fund two houses per year.