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Success Stories

A mother and three daughters pose around a dining room table. There are lace curtains and blue wall in the background and some dishes on the table in the foreground.

“This is Home” – A Family Finds Their Forever Home in Calais, Maine

One of the first rooms Heather Gagne and her daughters began redecorating in their new home is the dining room, shown in the top photo. They have been busy repainting and making other updates. Raising a family in coastal Machias, Maine may sound lovely, but for Heather Gagne recent years proved stressful. There were few housing options in the Downeast community, and Heather was glad to find a rental home to…
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Use the filters below to find additional stories about how our programs have helped rural communities across the nation.

Search Results: 888 Stories
Cody (Caucasian white male wearing black and grey jacket with matching ballcap) and Melissa (Caucasian young adult female wearing olive green shirt)Olsen in Hyrum, Utah in June of 2024, seen standing within the wooden framework of their Mutual Self-Help house.

Building Generations of Homeownership One Nail at a Time

Cody Olsen remembers when his parents built their own home in Nibley, Utah between 2006-2007. Little did he know that 17 years later he too, would build his family home in the same way his parents did.Cody and Melissa Olsen married during… [Read More]
Utah
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024
Honeyville Metal has recently announced the installation of a state-of-the-art solar array at their Topeka, Indiana location. This sustainable energy initiative is a significant step towards reducing the company's carbon footprint while also saving on energy costs. The new solar array highlights Honeyville Metal's commitment to environmental stewardship and their forward-thinking approach to business operations.

Harnessing the Power of the Sun: Honeyville Metal's Path to Energy Independence

Honeyville Metal, LLC in Topeka, Indiana is a family-owned business that designs and fabricates innovative dust collection and grain handling equipment that supports a variety of industries across North America. The company has taken significant steps towards sustainability… [Read More]
Indiana
InfrastructureREAPRenewable EnergyRural DevelopmentSolar Energy
Woman holding green chile in her restaurant kitchen

Rural Business Development Grant Helps Business Expand Hours

If you pass through Peñasco, New Mexico, in the spring or summer and crave some New Mexican style comfort food, you are in luck. La Jicarita Harvest offers just the food to give you a taste of authentic northern New Mexican cuisine. Sopapilla burgers, Indian tacos, and Frito… [Read More]
New Mexico
GrantsLocal FoodsSmall Business
landscape of las vegas

She helped others through USDA programs for years. Now, USDA is helping her.

“Without this program, I would not be in my own home right now.”For years, Amanda Weaver worked to help people get back on their feet through the support of USDA assistance programs. But when it came to buying a house, it was time for USDA to help Amanda instead.As a single… [Read More]
Nevada
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024Housing
Joe Barb and his son outside their home in Rapid Valley

Self sacrifice leads to safe housing for at-risk area youth

Joe Barb isn’t your typical citizen. He’s the type of guy that sees someone in need and doesn’t turn away. Instead, he offers support. On a cold winter day during the COVID pandemic, Joe took his young son to the last barbershop in town that was still open. “I was talking to… [Read More]
South Dakota
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024Rural Development
picture of a house

Stepping Through The Door

Dylan LaRue knew immediately when he found the home meant for him. With an expansive living room and wide backyard, Dylan immediately envisioned the place as a haven—not only for himself but for his cats. “It was filled with cherished memories waiting to be made,” he said.… [Read More]
Nevada
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024Housing
Donna Carpegna stands on the front porch of her home in Fort Ashby, West Virginia. Donna purchased the house with help from a USDA Section 502 Direct Loan.

Through Life's Ups and Downs, USDA Is There

Life has its ups and downs. We can make all the plans we want, but sometimes life throws a wrench in those plans. Things were looking up for Donna Carpegna in 1997. Donna was working with USDA Rural Development Area Specialist Wendell Alt to secure a Section 502 Direct Loan to… [Read More]
West Virginia
Homeownership 2024Housing
A photo collage showing a groundbreaking event, a home foundation, and home being framed.

Habitat Partnership Leads to Homeownership for Ellsworth Family

A few days after the St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity celebrated its 28th year of helping families access safe, affordable housing in Wisconsin, a local mother and healthcare worker, Taylor, and her two children joined volunteers on a snowy afternoon in March to break… [Read More]
Wisconsin
Housing
The front of a home in Michigan, North Dakota.

A Forever Home

MICHIGAN, N.D. – Hand-drawn and colored pictures from grandkids decorate the kitchen. Pictures of a life lived hang on the living room walls. Coco the dog keeps watch from outside the patio door. This is home for Rosemary Knoll, a resident of Michigan, ND (population: 250… [Read More]
North Dakota
Home Repair
The City of Luverne is partnering with a nonprofit to turn a vacant office building into a childcare center.

City of Luverne Partners with Non-Profit to Address Childcare Shortage

Families in Rock County, Minnesota have had limited choices when it comes to childcare. Now, the City of Luverne is taking action to provide much needed relief for working families. Rural Minnesota, especially Rock County, suffers from a critical shortage in childcare… [Read More]
Minnesota
Community Facilities

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