Deters Tells Ag Secretary Perdue "Thanks" at Farm Progress Show

(EMBARRAS RIVER BASIN AGENCY HOUSING COUNSELOR SANDY DETERS WITH U-S AG SECRETARY SONNY PERDUE AT THE FARM PROGRESS SHOW IN DECATUR WEDNESDAY)

Sandy Deters, Housing Counselor with the Embarras River Basin Agency (ERBA), in Greenup, met with US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue Wednesday at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur to say “Thank You.” ERBA is a certified loan processor for the USDA Rural Development.

A Certified Loan Processor assists individuals in completing Rural Development 504 home repair loans and 502 home loans. The 504 home repair loan assists individuals in making much needed repairs (such as new roofs, wheel chair ramps, walk in showers and more) so they might stay in their homes. The 502 home loan assists individuals to purchase a home. ERBA has helped nearly 40 customers securing nearly $800,000, allowing them to stay in their existing home, purchase a home and putting money back into our rural communities.

Deters stated, ”I felt it was very important to say a big thank you to Secretary Perdue for the Rural Development loans and grants that ERBA’s customers have received.  Wednesday was a perfect day to say thank you.” Sandy and her husband, Keith, and their children, Justin and Brittany (and Brittany’s boyfriend Tyler Romack), were at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur. After Perdue’s speech, Deters thanked him for the assistance Rural Development loans have given ERBA’s customers. She relayed a few customer success stories: repairing roofs (a home with mold), repairing a septic system (a house with no running water), and helping a customer restore credit and purchasing  a first home.

Perdue asked, “What I want to know, do these programs work?” When Deters replied, “Yes, sir, they do!”, Perdue stated, “That is what I Iike to hear.”

The Embarras River Basin Agency is dedicated to serving the needs of at-risk, low-income individuals and families. The common goal of all programs within the agency is to foster community involvement, professional partnerships, and trust between all entities. The agency and staff members are committed to providing life skills that will assist individuals and families to attain a higher level of self-sufficiency and a better quality of life. ERBA serves the counties of Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Lawrence, Jasper & Richland.