On a quiet patch of farmland in rural Phillips County, the only home still standing on a remote road belongs to 70-year-old Alenora Williams. She’s lived in the unincorporated community of Lambrook — a small Delta town tucked into the southeast corner of Arkansas — for her entire life.

“This home’s been mine for about 30 years,” she said. “I was born and raised right here in Lambrook.”

Time and storms have not been kind to the aging mobile home. A recent storm tore loose large parts of the roof and the underpinning that shields the underside of the structure. Rain seeped in and rotted out patches of flooring. When she turned to her insurance company for help, they denied the claim — twice.

“They wouldn’t pay one penny,” Alenora said. “They blamed it on the age of the home, not the storm. But the adjuster could see for himself that the storm had ripped things off and thrown them clear across the fields. Still, they denied it.”

With no help from insurance and no money to cover the repairs, she found herself stuck.

That’s when her daughter learned about the Home Improvement Loan Program offered by Communities Unlimited (CU). CU is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides small, affordable loans to residents of rural Arkansas and South Texas, including counties in the Delta region where financing options are often out of reach.

The program is designed specifically for low- to moderate-income homeowners who can’t access traditional loans. It offers loans of up to $3,500 in Arkansas with a two-year repayment term. No credit history or collateral is required to apply, and the interest rate is kept at an affordable 10 percent. Funding can be used for essential home repairs — including roofing, flooring, HVAC systems, and mold remediation — helping families tackle critical issues without taking on insurmountable debt.

“Whew — it was a relief,” Alenora said. “Just to know I could finally do something. It wouldn’t fix everything, but it was a good start. Before this, I couldn’t even take small steps. Now, I can.”

With help from CU, Alenora was able to install new skirting around the home, repair damaged siding, and replace the rotted floorboards beneath her kitchen — all caused by water damage. She also added a small extension to her roof to better protect the front entryway.

“Security means everything when you live out here in the country like I do,” she said. “This helped me feel safer.”

Lambrook is located in Phillips County, one of the most impoverished counties in Arkansas. It’s part of a region that has long faced high poverty rates, limited infrastructure, and a shrinking population. For residents like Alenora — many of whom are elderly, disabled, or living on fixed incomes — access to affordable home repairs can be life-changing.

She hopes others in her community — and across the Delta — will apply and take that first step toward making their homes safer and more secure.