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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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Find Stories

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

Search Results: 894 Stories
USDA-RD-REAP-Superior-Metal-Framing-Systems

Building on Sturdy Foundations

Superior Metal Framing Systems, LLC, a family-owned small business of rural Williamson County, boasts over twenty-five years of experience in designing and fabricating steel building components. With a steadfast commitment to quality and a motto of “Building on Sturdy… [Read More]
Texas
REAP
Comanche County

USDA Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan is Transforming Rural Healthcare

In the rolling hills of Comanche County, Legacy Estate Long Term Care stands as a beacon of hope and innovation in rural healthcare. A not-for-profit care center owned by Comanche County Consolidated Hospital District (CCCHD), and led by CEO Nikki Stark and Misty Hill, the… [Read More]
Texas
Community FacilitiesInfrastructure
Woman standing in front of Sagebrush Inn sign

Rural Development Loan Guarantee Helps Hotel Stay in Business

If you happen to look for hotels in Taos, New Mexico, you might come across the historic Sagebrush Inn. The hotel opened over 90 years ago and includes a variety of historic rooms with fireplaces as well as some more modern updated ones. “This hotel brings a sense of community… [Read More]
New Mexico
Business
Aerial view of the Great Valley Farm Brewery and Winery

A Scenic View to Viticulture Success in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley

While many factors go into selecting the best site for a new business, the view was at the top of the list for Nathan and Irma Bailey. The couple was leaving corporate jobs to start a vineyard and brewery, so scenic vistas were important.“We were looking for some place in the… [Read More]
Virginia
Value Added
Saint Peter Fire Hall Aerial

City of Saint Peter Celebrates Success of New Fire Station

The city of Saint Peter had planned to replace its fire hall for nearly ten years. Since the mid-1950s, the town housed its fire department in an old maintenance shop, but the small, repurposed space was no longer adequate.  As the city grew, the fire department was faced… [Read More]
Minnesota
Community Facilities
A Move to Texas

A Move to Texas as 'House-Sitters' Results in First-Time Home Ownership

Bradley and Janna Lanphear, along with their four children, found themselves facing uncertainty when unforeseen circumstances forced them out of their long-time rental in Bend, Oregon. With rental prices skyrocketing in their area, the dream of homeownership seemed increasingly… [Read More]
Texas
Housing
Stretching Critical Repair Dollars 2

Stretching Critical Home Repair Dollars

Neighborhood Strong is a community-based organizations serving nine East Texas Counties. They provide critical home repairs and accessibility modifications to low and very low-income homeowners. Over 57% of the homes in this area are over 40 years old. The poverty rate is just… [Read More]
Texas
Housing
A photo on a farm with a grain dryer in the center. There is a small white building to the right and grain bins around the grain dryer.

Farming for the Future

The State of North Dakota is roughly 70,000 square miles. Agricultural land occupied by family farms and ranches accounts for about 60,000 of those square miles. With the sheer number of acres dedicated to growing and raising our country’s food supply, it comes as no surprise… [Read More]
North Dakota
EnergyInfrastructure
World Water Day logo

A Water Legacy in La Union MDSWA

Driving south bound with the Organ Mountains to my left you expect to see many things. Pecan farms, and Dairy farms sure, but also the beauty of southern New Mexico. If you continue on to Anthony NM, you will stumble onto a gem. Rural Development (RD) is no stranger to the area… [Read More]
New Mexico
Rural Partners NetworkWater
7 people standing in front of water tank

USDA Rural Development Helps Community Access Clean Water For The First Time After Five Months

You would be forgiven for thinking that October 17th was just another ordinary day for the fifteen households of the Mt. Rose Bowl subdivision, hidden by dense forest between a ski resort and a sleepaway camp in Northern Nevada. But Sally Sue Broili vividly remembers letting out… [Read More]
Nevada
Community FacilitiesWater

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