A group of 25 FHLBank Topeka employees, joined by FHLBank board members and Congressional staffers, took a bus trip to Baldwin City, Kansas, a community of 5,000, for a firsthand look at FHLBank’s liquidity mission.
After arriving in town, Mid America Bank President Jeff Hill along with his dad, Founder and CEO Dave Hill, led a tour through town pointing out businesses, housing projects and homes funded by the bank.
“I don’t know what our bank would look like without our partnership with FHLBank Topeka,” Jeff said. “FHLBank Topeka advance funding provides us the liquidity we need. We have never slowed or stopped lending due to liquidity because we know the FHLBank is there.”
Residential lending is a key part of Mid America’s business. The tour included several homes that were sold under FHLBank’s Mortgage Partnership Finance (MPF) Program, including a home that benefited from the newest subsidized option, the Mortgage Rate Reduction Product (MRRP). MRRP, introduced in February 2025, offers FHLBank members a subsidized rate for mortgage to income-eligible borrowers. Mid America Bank, the first user of MRRP, has helped 15 homeowners realize a lower interest rate.
“The Mortgage Rate Reduction Product allows us to move at our pace to benefit our customers because we don’t have to wait for approval,” Jeff said. “We love this new addition to MPF.”
In addition to MRRP, Mid America Bank is also a long-time user of FHLBank Topeka’s suite of downpayment assistance programs, TurnKey. Both low-income and middle-income homeowners have achieved the American dream of homeownership with help from these grants across Mid America’s seven-city footprint.
Although mortgages are a big part of their business, Mid America also has a strong commitment to economic development. The tour featured businesses, like the local hardware store, a medical complex and daycare. The medical complex gives residents a local option for health care, without traveling to larger cities 30 to 60 minutes away.
Day care is also an urgent need in the community to support working parents. Dave Hill mentioned an employee on their team who drives 40 miles roundtrip, twice a day for their current day care provider. A new center, in the heart of town, is currently under development to help not just Mid America staff, but others in the community.
The tour ended with lunch at downtown restaurant the Baldwin City Beer Company. Owner Cory Venable spoke about the support they’ve received as a customer of Mid America Bank.
“We are one of 12 or so properties in downtown Baldwin City that are here because of Mid America.” Venable said. “There are no vacancies downtown due to the hard work and support from the bank.”
“If you want a great bank, you need a great community,” said Dave. “We believe in doing what we can to support our community. We appreciate our partnership with FHLBank Topeka because they understand community banks like us.”
