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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
Four women and one man sit at tables in a large room with a USDA banner in the background.

New Capacity for Sunrise County: USDA Helps Meet Business Needs

When team at the Sunrise County Economic Council (SCEC) polled area businesses, they heard a consistent message. Asked what they needed to thrive, business owners made it clear. They were looking for more training opportunities and resources right in the community. Washington… [Read More]
Maine
BusinessEconomic DevelopmentGrants
Danny Dehaze, Executive Director of Infrastructure, leading a session on instructional technology at the Fall 2023 Faculty In-Service, discussing the Zoom room hubs, new classroom technology, student information systems, and other service items

Columbia Gorge Community College Goes the Distance with Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant

When Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) decided to expand its distance learning opportunities in December of 2019, the project was considered ambitious. By March 2020, the project was essential.  The goal was simple at first. With the aid of a USDA Rural Development… [Read More]
Oregon
Community CollegesDistance LearningEducation
Family Roots Farm is located in Wellsburg, West Virginia and produces maple syrup and all natural sweeteners.

Eighth Generation Farm Expands its Roots into New Markets Thanks to Value-Added Producer Grant

It was 1775 when Henry Hervey decided to make his homestead in what is today, Wellsburg, West Virginia. Hervey paid two pounds of silver for the 400-acre plot and his original deed to the property was written on a buckskin hide. Over the years, the farm was known primarily for… [Read More]
West Virginia
GrantsValue Added
Man prepares to open electric box

USDA Funding Helps Mitigate Fire Risk for Electric Co-op Service Area

Many of us don’t often think about where the electricity comes from that powers the lights in our home and charges our cell phones. However, residents living in communities powered by Kit Carson Electric Cooperative Inc. can see where their power comes from. It is provided by… [Read More]
New Mexico
CooperativesElectricEnergySolar Energy
Two men and two women stand in front of a snow grooming machine in a snowy field under a blue sky. They are dressed warmly, and there are leafless trees in the background.

Slam Dunk for Poodunck: Safer, Eco-friendly Trail Grooming Machine

December 13, 2023, was a happy day for the members of the Poodunck Snowmobile Club in Dixfield, Maine. That day they took delivery of their new trail grooming machine. The massive new Prinoth machine is state-of the art, replacing the club’s fifteen-year-old equipment. Trail… [Read More]
Maine
CORERecreation
Woman standing in kitchen next to basket of processed meat products

Grant Makes Dream a Reality for Montana Small Business

In southwestern Fallon County near Ismay, a long, gravel road crisscrosses a landscape reminiscent of the Badlands. Twenty miles down the road through a beautiful valley brings one to Crescent Cross Ranch, home to a fourth generation Montana ranching family, the Lanes. … [Read More]
Montana
Local Foods
Rosenwald School

Transforming St. George Rosenwald School: A Tale of Community Grant Impact

Introduction In the heart of rural Dorchester County, South Carolina, nestled a short distance from the hustle and bustle of Charleston, stands the historic St. George Rosenwald School. Once a beacon of education for African American students during the segregation era, this… [Read More]
South Carolina
Community Facilities
The Village

USDA Helps Mustard Seed Village Cultivate Change: A Greenhouse Model Blossoming with Community Engagement and Elder Care Innovations

Rural seniors often desire to age in their communities, surrounded by familiar faces and places. However, with fewer healthcare providers, professional caregivers, and young people compared to urban areas, rural communities face challenges in caring for their aging residents.… [Read More]
Washington
Housing
Large, cavernous warehouse with bins of fertilizer.

Fertilizer Grant Increases Access for Growers in Rural Montana

Farmer’s Union Oil Company of Circle and Terry is a farm and ranch supply cooperative that started in 1930. It serves member owners with products such as fuel, propane, fertilizer, and tires. In early 2023, Farmer’s Union Oil finished construction on a new, larger-capacity… [Read More]
Montana
Cooperatives
A USDA Rural Development investment grant of $84,000 helped those involved in Hope House Guthrie, with the necessary funds to complete the purchase of an 18,000 square feet shelter that provides clients in the area with rapid rehousing.

A House Built on Hope

In the City of Guthrie, there isn’t just hope, there is literally a house built on hope that serves the needs of low-income families and provides meaningful shelter and an opportunity for meaningful rehabilitation. A USDA Rural Development investment grant of $84,000 helped… [Read More]
Oklahoma
Grants

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