Drawing Boards
Volunteer Group Gets Things Done
Interfaith Housing Services shall
develop, promote, and implement
programs which assist persons of low
to moderate incomes to meet their
housing needs.
President’s Note
In December our newsletter reported about some challenges facing the family of our
President, John Scott. We would like to give an update on those situations and thank you for
your prayers, as they have been answered.
John and Susan’s daughter, Angela, had been diagnosed with Chronic Heart Failure earlier
in 2012 and had been unable to work since the diagnosis. John and Susan have been
significantly involved in helping with Angela and her two children. When we last reported,
Angela’s heart was very weak and she had been placed on a heart transplant list.
Then, adding to the challenge, on November 9th, John and Susan’s other daughter, Robin,
and her husband, Kendal, were in a serious car accident. Kendal was a bit battered and
bruised, but Robin had fractured her pelvis and had damage to some internal organs. When
we last reported, she had been through two surgeries.
In addition to these things, John’s mother became ill and was hospitalized a couple of times
near the holidays, and had major surgery.
Prayers were heard and answered. We are happy to report that Angela received word that
a heart had become available on late in the evening on January 21st, and by the end of the
day on January 22nd, she was coming out of surgery. She was released from the hospital a
mere week later, and is doing very well. She continues to have regular doctor appointments in
Kansas City.
Robin is healing well from her accident and pelvic reconstruction. She continues with physical
therapy and continues to impress her doctors with her recovery. John’s mother is also doing
well and is stronger now than she had been at any time since Thanksgiving.
John, his family, and the entire staff of Interfaith Housing Services, would like to thank you for
your prayers. They have truly been a blessing.
Volume 1: Issue 1
2013
The Conservative Anabaptist Service Program (CASP) volunteer
group has descended upon the Hutchinson area. These groups
of volunteers from a variety of places are all part of a program that
encourages volunteerism in lieu of Selective Service. Each group of
volunteers stays for a one month period of time and works diligently
on a project with Interfaith Housing Services.
Interfaith Housing Services have been lucky enough to have three
CASP groups this year. They have been essential in getting
several projects done. This year’s CASP groups have completed a
complete remodel of the home of a woman that lost her leg and hip
to an illness. They were able to make her home accessible. They
also completed a refurbishing of a donated home that will be sold to
one of our Creating Assets, Savings & Hope (CASH) clients. Other
projects included improvements on the exterior of our own building,
replacing a roof on the home of another client and various other
smaller projects.
We are very blessed to have such a wonderful group of hardworking young men that are
called to volunteer for us.
Federal Home Loan Bank [FHLB]
Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) provides just one more way that Interfaith Housing
Services is able to help our clients. FHLB is a privately owned, federally chartered
corporation that promotes housing and homeownership. Clients are able to apply for FHLB
funding to either help with down payment and closing costs on the purchase of a first home
or to make repairs on a home that they currently own and occupy.
Homeowners and those making repairs can each qualify for up to $3000 in assistance. In
both instances, a second mortgage (first if a repair client owns their home outright) will be
placed on the property. The mortgage will be forgiven in five years with no repayment. If the
homeowner sells prior to the five years, they will owe a pro-rated amount.
“The wonderful thing about FHLB funds,” commented Julia Westfahl, Director of
Development, “is that it is able to be layered with other programs.
This allows us to maximize the benefit to our clients. FHLB funds
pair well with our Creating Assets, Saving and Hope (CASH)
program, and several first time homebuyer programs such as
Rural Development loans and USDA loans.”
For more information on the FHLB program or how to layer
funding sources, contact Julia Westfahl by email at Julia.
[email protected] or by phone at 620-662-8370.