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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: 885 Stories
Photo: The volunteers that make up the Wheeler County Search and Rescue team now have the necessary equipment to safely conduct rescues and treat patients.

Help is On the Way: Equipping a Rural Search and Rescue Team

Wheeler County Search and Rescue, as with many rural emergency departments, has a limited budget and could not afford essential equipment. This entirely volunteer team borrowed supplies from the Sheriff’s Office, but most volunteers provided their equipment, and the medics even… [Read More]
Oregon
Community Facilities
Photo: Outlaw Auto, a small, family-owned business in Myrtle Point, Oregon, is providing stable income for its owners and jobs for this rural community.

Small Family-owned Business Creates Jobs in Rural Community

For years, John and Alayna Black dreamed about opening their own business. John worked as a mechanic, repairing cars, motorcycles, and boats, but it was a struggle to make ends meet, especially after Alayna’s back surgery. “I didn’t know if we’d be able to pay the bills or have… [Read More]
Oregon
BusinessSmall Business
Rooftop Solar Unit Located on Top of the Bluffs Business Center Building.

Sarchet Ventures REAPing the Benefits of Rooftop Solar

The Bluffs Business Center in Scottsbluff, Neb. is a historical trademark in the downtown area located on Broadway. Sarchet Ventures owns and operates the Center. Mike Sarchet, managing partner of Sarchet Ventures, has a history of more than 30 years as an environmental educator… [Read More]
Nebraska
Solar Energy
Lone Tree Foods logo.

Marketing and Modernization Project Increases Local Food Options

Lone Tree Foods, with the main office in Crete, Neb., is a farmer-owned business named for the Lone Tree Ferry that was instrumental in connecting Nebraska to the eastern territories.  Their mission is to connect local farmers with wholesale buyers in Eastern Nebraska and… [Read More]
Nebraska
Value Added
Welcome to Plainview sign.

City of Plainview Obtains Financial Tool To Recruit New Businesses

The city of Plainview is facing the challenge that many rural communities face; how does a rural community keep existing businesses in operation and recruit new businesses to keep the community viable. One of the issues Plainview plans to address is the challenge of apparent… [Read More]
Nebraska
Small Business
New equipment providing state-of-the-art medical services.

One Program, Several Improvements for City of Cozad

The city of Cozad (pop. 3,977), located in Dawson County, has a very active economic development program, with Cozad Development Corporation (CDC) always looking for ways to stretch local economic development funds to assist new businesses. Rural Development was able to assist… [Read More]
Nebraska
Economic Development
El Molcajete after improvements.

El Cambio es Bueno! (Change is Good!)

In March of 2017, the city of Scottsbluff announced a grant opportunity for businesses (many of which are Hispanic owned) to improve the exterior of buildings along the East Overland Corridor.  Ramon and Elena Pedroza decided this might be an opportunity for their… [Read More]
Nebraska
Energy

Sharing Their Love for Wine, All Across Nebraska

    McFarland Family Farms, LLC dba Mac’s Creek Vineyards & Winery, located in Lexington, Nebraska, is a small locally owned vineyard and winery. They grow more than 10 varieties of grapes that are productive for the Nebraska climate, and are able to produce 16… [Read More]
Nebraska
Value Added
The multi-slice CT scanner provides enhanced scans for the medical providers, both in-house as well as those from other facilities treating

Advancing Healthcare and Improving Patient Safety in Rural Nebraska

Brown County Hospital, located in Ainsworth, Nebraska, is a 23 bed, critical access hospital that provides health services to residents located in Brown, Rock, Keya Paha, Cherry, and Blaine counties. They use e-emergency, with their primary service provider being Avera from… [Read More]
Nebraska
Health Care
Heartland Lumber Storefront

Building Materials + Ag Supplies = Heartland Lumber and Supply

Joe Quinn found out that after 100 years of operation, that all five of the S.A. Foster Lumberyards would either be sold or closed, including the Oshkosh, Nebraska lumberyard.  The Oshkosh location had been in operation for 65 years, and was where Joe had… [Read More]
Nebraska
Business

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