U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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…
Read More

Find Stories

Use the filters below to find additional stories about how our programs have helped rural communities across the nation.

Search Results: 888 Stories
Owner Brett Hayes surveys newly installed solar panels on the roof of the Zeus Digital Theater.

Waynesboro Movie Theater Brings Solar Power to the Big Screen

Hundreds of local residents and visitors gather at Waynesboro’s Zeus Digital Theater each week to view the latest theatrical releases on eight big screens, never realizing that they are being transported to other worlds via the power of the sun.A 241kw system perched high atop… [Read More]
Virginia
Energy
USDA invested $2.6 million in loans and grants to construct a long-term support care facility for GHA Autism Supports.

Rural Development is Partnering with GHA Autism Supports

USDA Rural Development is making one their most dynamic and impactful investments with their partnership with GHA Autism Supports Morrow Valley Farmstead. The investment of $2.6 million into the home for aging individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental… [Read More]
North Carolina
Health Care
USDA with Norma and Neighbors helping Neighbors

Welcome Home: The Fire Didn't Beat Me.

Have you ever heard your heart in your ears? It’s that adrenaline rush that results from both good and bad events in our life. Often enough the events that trigger this feeling are good, your favorite team winning, that lucky break or unexpected promotion. There are also times… [Read More]
New Mexico
DisasterHousing
On April 23, 2024, more than 70 residents, public officials, and health care professionals gathered at Punxsutawney Area Hospital to break ground on a $23 million renovation project.

USDA Helps Improve Health Care Facility in Punxsutawney

On April 23, 2024, more than 70 residents, public officials, and health care professionals gathered at Punxsutawney Area Hospital to break ground on a $23 million renovation project. The renovations funded through a USDA Community… [Read More]
Pennsylvania
Community Facilities
City-of-Carbon

Revitalizing a Community: How Rural Development Helped City of Carbon After a Devastating Wildfire

In the wake of a catastrophic wildfire that ravaged the City of Carbon, leaving 85 homes destroyed and the water system severely impacted, Sylvia Gosnell, the dedicated City Secretary, found herself facing immense challenges. The fire had torn through the water plant, leaving it… [Read More]
Texas
Water
Staff from HH Design in Britton, SD

HH Design selected as Young Entrepreneur of the Year by SBA

Submitted by GROW SOUTH DAKOTA Hillarey Warner owner of HH Design in Britton, South Dakota, was selected to be the U.S. Small Business Administration’s South Dakota 2024 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, after being nominated by GROW SD. After graduating from Northern State… [Read More]
South Dakota
BusinessRural DevelopmentSmall BusinessValue Added
refrigerated section of a grocery store. well lit and has items like orange juice in it.

More Than Business: Rural Grocers a Lifeline for Locals

Four short miles north of Lake Sakakawea and just along the highway as you enter Garrison, ND, (population: 1,467), sits a non-descript, beige warehouse. As the saying goes, if you blink too long, you might miss it. From the outside, Krause’s SuperValu might look like any other… [Read More]
North Dakota
REAP
Smith Island, Maryland

Investing in Wastewater Infrastructure is Key to Preserving Smith Island, Maryland

For the people living on Smith Island, the water matters. But it’s about more than the beautiful views of the Chesapeake Bay from the picturesque island ten miles from the mainland. The multi‐generational residents depend on the surrounding Chesapeake Bay for their livelihoods… [Read More]
Delaware, Maryland, and District of Columbia (DC)
Wastewater
A photo of a man and a woman holding packages of cheese and smiling is inset against a photo of a long driveway bordered by trees and fields with a "cattle crossing" sign on the right side.

VAPG Provides a Buffer for a Maine Organic Creamery

Co-owners of Balfour Farm in Pittsfield, Heather and Doug Donahue have adapted to many changes as dairy farmers. First, they switched careers and began farming in 2004. They learned about farming and experimented with different breeds. Next came a move a move from New York to… [Read More]
Maine
BusinessCOREEntrepreneurFood SupplyLocal FoodsREAPRenewable EnergyValue Added

Little Sprouts Cooling Off in Alcoa, Tennessee

Babies crying, toddlers learning, preschoolers preparing for Kindergarten…Little Sprouts Learning Center in Alcoa, Tennessee invites their families to “Come Grow With Us”. This 8,500 square foot childcare facility offers seven classrooms, a cafeteria, and two playgrounds. Ms.… [Read More]
Tennessee
REAP

Additional Success Stories