Eaton Community Bank awards $40,000 grant to Housing Services Mid Michigan
Eaton Community Bank awards $40,000 grant to Housing Services Mid Michigan
CHARLOTTE, Mich. – Eaton Community Bank, a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, awarded Housing Services Mid Michigan $40,000 in grant funds through the Community Multiplier – Member Match Program.
The $40,000 grant will support Housing Services Mid Michigan’s continuation and expansion of programs for financial counseling, homebuyer education and foreclosure prevention. Housing Services supports residents and families in Eaton, Ingham and Clinton counties.
“Eaton Community Bank has always been a champion for the mid-Michigan communities, and a wonderful supporter of Housing Services of Mid Michigan,” Housing Services Executive Director Christie Harry said. “We’re extremely thankful for this grant, and all the amazing work Eaton continues to do throughout our communities.
“These funds will allow us to provide support services and counseling to so many people, as we’re all facing a lot of economic challenges these days,” Harry continued. “Our mission is to assist low to moderate income individuals and families to fulfill their need for affordable, safe and sanitary housing. This grant will specifically help fund programming for financial counseling, homebuyer education and foreclosure prevention.”
Housing Services estimates they will be able to serve more than 30 percent more households with various services and counseling this year. The homebuyer education services are available online with a phone follow up, while financial counseling and foreclosure prevention services are available in person or over the phone. Foreclosure Prevention Specialist Kenneth Baumbach oversees all three programs.
For more information about Housing Services Mid Michigan, please visit www.hsmidmichigan.org or call 517-541-1180.
The Community Multiplier – Member Match Program is the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis’ newest program offering, designed to support targeted affordable housing initiatives that fall outside the FHLBank Indianapolis’ other grant programs. Community Multiplier offers grants between $25,000 and $125,000 for non-profit organizations headquartered in Indiana or Michigan who partner with an FHLBank Indianapolis member financial institution on targeted affordable housing initiatives. With a 10 percent matching funds commitment from the member financial institution, FHLBank Indianapolis is providing grants between $25,000 and $125,000. The program opened March 27, 2025, with a $5 million allocation and is available until October 1, 2025, or until funds are exhausted.
“There’s a growing need for financial counseling with housing in mid-Michigan, so once our team learned about the Community Multiplier program it was obvious we could partner with Housing Services to make a difference,” Eaton Community Bank President Garrett Bensinger said. “This was a great team effort across the bank with a lot of people helping to secure this grant. Housing Services of Mid Michigan is a very deserving organization; their work makes our communities better.”
Eaton Community Bank has served mid-Michigan since it was chartered by two local businessmen in 1937 to help local families buy a home and provide a safe place to invest their savings. Today, Eaton provides expanded services and solutions to meet the financial needs of the diverse communities it calls home.