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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: 74 Stories
Brandon Willis, Rancher's Insurance owner standing in front of ground mounted solar panels in Laketown, Utah.

Solar Project Provides Big Opportunities for a Rural Utah Farmer, Businessman, and Community Leader

Northern Utah’s Laketown is a rural community with a population of just 299 on the South end of Bear Lake. The area offers beautiful lake views, summer recreation, and miles of agriculture. Brandon Willis, owner of Rancher’s Insurance, provides agriculture insurance to farmers… [Read More]
Utah
Clean EnergyEnergyRenewable EnergyRural DevelopmentSolar Energy
Aerial view of Bluff Dwellings rooftops with red cliffs in background.

Bringing Renewable Energy to Southeast Utah Using the Desert's Greatest Resource

The remote desert of Southeastern Utah brings a landscape like no other. While towering red rock mesas and sandstone cliffs provide amazing views you see very few people, and an abundance of sunshine. Southeast Utah’s San Juan County is the largest county in Utah, covering over… [Read More]
Utah
Clean EnergyCOREREAPRenewable EnergyRural DevelopmentSolar EnergyUnderserved
Ashley's home and family

Creating a Legacy: Ashley Elk Nation builds forever home in Badger Park

Submitted by Four Bands Community FundAshley Elk Nation had been living in a single-wide mobile home in Eagle Butte with her two sons for several years. Although she owned the home, her desire to do her best for her children was tugging her towards a safer neighborhood."I wanted… [Read More]
South Dakota
HomeownershipHousingRural DevelopmentTribal
Southern Idaho Solid Waste, Burley ID

Beyond the Landfill: Big Improvements for Southern Idaho’s Solid Waste System

With an overflow of waste, protecting public health and the environment begins with responsible waste management. In Southern Idaho, the Southern Idaho Regional Solid Waste District (SISW) is taking charge by making upgrades to their regions district that serves a… [Read More]
Idaho
EnvironmentalRural DevelopmentSolid WasteWastewater
USDA Rural Development Utah Staff, Samantha Holiday, and Meghan McFall tour the Tsé Bii’ Ndzisgaii Community Center in Monument Valley, Utah.

USDA Investments Offer Support to Utah Tribes

Monument Valley, Utah is known for its iconic red sandstone buttes, cliffs, desert vistas and mesas. It is also the sacred heart of the Navajo Nation. The people who live among the beautiful scenic landscapes of Monument Valley have deep connections to the land and their native… [Read More]
Utah
CORERural DevelopmentTribalUnderserved
Scott and Melissa Holt with their two cows in front of the Bistro

From Cow to Cone: Local Bistro Offers Fresh Take on Ice Cream

When Scott and Melissa Holt moved to Hot Springs, their plan was to retire. They started as a small farmer’s market selling meat, farm produce and homemade ice cream. Soon they saw the demand for their specialty ice cream grow – even in the dead of winter.People would come to… [Read More]
South Dakota
Local FoodsRural DevelopmentSmall Business
Valley telecommunications store front

Valley Telecommunications extends network to provide high-speed internet

Valley Telecommunications has been providing its members in the Herreid area with quality service for nearly 70 years. The Cooperative strived to deliver the high speed, reliable internet service to its members across McPherson, Edmunds, and Campbell counties. When an… [Read More]
South Dakota
BroadbandGrantsHigh Speed InternetRural DevelopmentTelecommunications
Representatives from USDA Rural Development and Star Communications’ leadership met in Sampson County, on Aug. 5, to celebrate the accomplishments of the grant announced in 2021. Star Communications used the grant funds to construct an approximately 120-mile fiber-to-the-premises system. This system expanded access to economic, educational, health care and public safety opportunities for 1,800 rural residents and 15 businesses in Sampson County, North Carolina.

Rural Development & Star Communications Celebrate Success in Sampson County

SPIVEYS CORNER, North Carolina-- Serving a North Carolina County that is approximately the same size as the entire state of Rhode Island, Star Communications is working to bring affordable and reliable high-speed internet to this rural area of the Tar Heel State. USDA Rural… [Read More]
North Carolina
Rural Development
Brian Watson at East Central College showing the HVAC system

Paving the Way for a Cooler Future

How RBDG Transformed ECC's HVAC Program  By Sierra Rusco Brian Watson, HVAC Program Coordinator at East Central College in Union, Missouri, is passionate about teaching. With his career in the HVAC industry, Brian finds it essential to give his students the best education… [Read More]
Missouri
BusinessRural DevelopmentSmall Business
Ariel and Mike holding a home sweet home picture frame in front of Ariel's home

A heart warmed in the heat of Summer

As the early morning temperature rises to 75 degrees, you know it will be another hot summer day. As you walk up the sidewalk leading to Ariel’s house, you are greeted by the symphony of singing birds, and beautiful sunflowers adorning flower beds along the porch. Ariel… [Read More]
Missouri
HomeownershipHousingRural Development

Additional Success Stories