Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Announces 2019 Strong Communities Award Finalists
last updated on Monday, July 1, 2019 in Community News
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines or the Bank) announced seven finalists for the Strong Communities Award. The annual award honors local projects, people, and programs that benefit small businesses and support retention in their communities.
Finalists from the Midwest to Alaska and Hawaii will compete for the top prize to support the economic development and housing needs in their communities. The award winners will be determined through a public vote which begins on July 15, 2019. Finalists are split into two categories, urban and rural, and winners in both categories will be awarded $15,000, while runners-up will be awarded $3,000 each.
“We’re excited to announce this year’s finalists for the Strong Communities Award,” said Mike Wilson, president and chief executive officer, FHLB Des Moines. “These projects represent the top applicants and were chosen for their continued dedication to improving their communities. The seven finalists have enhanced the lives of the people around them. It’s now up to each community to show their support and vote for the best project”
Since its beginning, applications for the Strong Communities Award have continued to grow. A full list of finalists can be found below. Voting will open on July 15 at www.fhlbdm.com/award.
Rural Category Finalists
Central Pacific Bank (Wai’anae, Hawaii)
- MA`O Organic Farms (MA`O) has collaborated with Central Pacific Bank and Kamehameha Schools to revive community food systems in Wai’anae –creating jobs, providing locally grown organic produce to the community and retaining and matriculating youth.
Farmers Savings Bank (Marshalltown, Iowa)
- Following a devasting EF3 tornado in the downtown Marshalltown business district in 2018, Marshall Economic Development (MED) and Farmers Savings Bank created a loan program to help small businesses who sustained physical damage and business interruption from the tornado.
Peoples Bank and Trust (Troy, Missouri)
- Bread for Life Food Pantry and Peoples Bank and Trust teamed up to create multiple programs to assure the availability of nutritious food for families in need throughout Lincoln County.
Urban Category Finalists
Enterprise Bank and Trust and Midwest BankCentre (St. Louis, Missouri)
- Beyond Housing, Enterprise Bank and Trust and Midwest BankCentre partnered to generate over $50 million in new commercial, community and housing development in the Pagedale Town Center in North St. Louis County.
First Federal Bank of Kansas City (Kansas City, Missouri)
- First Federal Bank of Kansas City helped support the efforts of reStart to end homelesseness for veterans of the United States armed forces in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
First National Bank of Alaska (Anchorage, Alaska)
- Path to Independence, in partnership with First National Bank of Alaska, is engaging private landlords to help individuals and families in Anchorage experiencing homelessness move into housing and toward self-sufficiency.
Sunrise Banks (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Hope Community, Inc., with the help of Sunrise Banks, spearheaded a four corner redevelopment effort in Minneapolis that includes rental housing, home ownership units, community learning and gathering spaces and 25,000 square feet of commercial space.
For more information about the FHLB Des Moines Strong Communities Award visit www.fhlbdm.com/award.
- Strong Communities Award