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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: 893 Stories
Two USDA staff pose with the homeowner in the grassy front yard of her new home with fall foliage in the background.

"They are still in my corner": Rural Development and Habitat for Humanity Help First-time Homebuyer

When Amber first applied to purchase a home through Habitat for Humanity of Greater Bangor, she had just started a new job and was looking forward to positive changes for her family. A relative had told her about Habitat’s mission helping people work with volunteers to build… [Read More]
Maine
Community CollegesHomeownership
Brian Bundy with companion, Maddie at their home in Raymond, WA

Dear USDA Rural Development

I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude to this department, especially to Trudy Teter and her housing team. I would not have received a loan from USDA if it weren’t for them. I sincerely hope USDA continues this loan program and extends it, as I know there are thousands of… [Read More]
Washington
Homeownership 2024
Hatchery Row Ribbon Cutting

Multi-Use Development Helps to Revitalize Battle Lake’s Downtown

The Hatchery Row project in Battle Lake, funded by a $99,000 Rural Business Development Grant, helped to bring much-needed services and housing to a prominent vacation town. The project has marked a significant milestone in revitalizing Battle Lake's downtown and has been… [Read More]
Minnesota
Business
Man standing in front of wastewater treatment facility

Colonias Grant Brings New Wastewater Treatment Plant to Anthony, New Mexico

In southern New Mexico along the Rio Grande and the Texas border, the small City of Anthony is no stranger to the benefits of partnering with USDA Rural Development. The small community of less than 10,000 residents is a designated colonia, making it eligible for grants and… [Read More]
New Mexico
WastewaterWater
Blue shirt with wife and catdog

Building a Legacy: Andrew Michael Cochran’s Journey to Homeownership with USDA’s Mutual Self Help Program

For Andrew Michael Cochran, home is more than just a place—it’s a legacy. At just 23 years old, Andrew made the decision to build his own home through USDA Rural Development’s Mutual Self Help Program, following in the footsteps of his parents, who had done the same when he was… [Read More]
Montana
Homeownership
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
Firefighter in front of fire truck

Java Fire District replaces oldest brush truck with modern upgrade

The expansive landscape of north central South Dakota provides fertile ground for farmers and ranchers. Due to the dry grasslands and warm summers, the area faces an elevated risk of wildfires.In the event of a wildfire, the 20 volunteers of the Java Fire District depend on its… [Read More]
South Dakota
Community FacilitiesFirst Responders
A woman stands in a farmers' market booth with a Precipice Coffee banner behind her and coffee displayed on the table in front of her. The tent is green and encloses the scene.

Little Roaster Avoids a Big Stink with Clean Technology

Precipice Coffee is roasted in the company's small Ellsworth location using a zero-emissions Bellwether Coffee roaster, pictured here.  Early in the process of establishing their new coffee business, Maggie Iannuzzi and her husband… [Read More]
Maine
BusinessElectricEntrepreneurREAPTechnology
Greenville Town Manager Mike Roy stands in front of one of the town's fire trucks in the new public safety building.

Enhancing Public Safety in the Highlands of Maine

Located in the Highlands region of Maine, the town of Greenville has long been a vacation destination. In recent years, the community has welcomed even more visitors pursuing outdoor recreation and lakeside living. While the influx of… [Read More]
Maine
Community FacilitiesFirst RespondersInfrastructure
Man standing next to world's largest pistachio

Sun Powers Production Next to World’s Largest Pistachio

When Thomas McGinn and his son, Tim, moved from Southern California to the desert of New Mexico in 1980, Thomas was looking for a change. He wanted to get back into farming and get out of his job working in food production for big factories.He purchased land for a farm and built… [Read More]
New Mexico
REAPSmall BusinessSolar Energy

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