U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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…
Read More

Find Stories

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

Search Results: 893 Stories
Picture of a yellow house in rural Nebraska

USDA Rural Development Proud to Support Veteran Marine

USDA Rural Development is proud to support United States Veteran Marine Roy Oliver through the Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants Program.  Mr. Oliver served in the Marines guarding supplies of ammunition.  Today, he is happily settled in Fairbury,… [Read More]
Nebraska
Home RepairHousing
Roberts County patrol cruiser parked outside Sheriff's Department.

Equipment upgrades improve response, community relations in Roberts County

When Deputy Trevor Mishler was hired by Roberts County Sheriff's Department, there weren’t enough patrol cruisers to go around and some of the equipment being used by deputies was outdated and past its serviceable life. The Sheriff and county staff gave the deputy the green… [Read More]
South Dakota
Community FacilitiesFirst RespondersRural Development
Wagner Early Childhood facility image

Developing Young Minds in Rural South Dakota

Wagner Early Childhood in south-central South Dakota has been caring for children for more than 30 years and Rural Development Community Facilities loans and grants have helped in many ways, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. “When schools and businesses closed because of… [Read More]
South Dakota
Community FacilitiesRural Development
Montana MFH Specialist Natalie Plummer and Sage Apartment owners Robbie Carpenter (C) and Vince Winterhalter (R).

Two Generations Partnering with USDA on Affordable Housing in Rural Montana Town

The Sage Apartments is a 12-unit multi-family housing complex that provides quality, safe, and affordable housing for eligible seniors and persons with disabilities in a rural Harlowton, Montana. “With the ongoing housing crisis, there are limited options in rural communities,… [Read More]
Montana
Housing
Marias Health Care Facility

New Clinic Provides Increased Access to Health Care in Rural Montana

What happens to a vacant big-box retail space in a rural community with leaders who have a vision and passion for service? In the case of Shelby, Montana, rural residents here and beyond will benefit with increased access to quality, affordable health care at a new, state-of-the… [Read More]
Montana
Health Care
Barry and Max McFarland

Mac's Creek: Building a Legacy in Lexington

Mac’s Creek Winery and Brewery in Lexington, Nebraska is a family business in more ways than one. The business has grown from the seed of an idea conjured up by Max and Theresa McFarland over twenty years ago to a thriving business, brewery, winery, event space, and source of… [Read More]
Nebraska
BusinessSmall Business
Butte Housing Groundbreaking

Building a Place to Call Home in Rural Montana

As sounds of city traffic fill the air, an obscure vacant lot at a busy intersection in uptown Butte is showing signs of life. Newly excavated foundation preparations dot the landscape. Water and sewer pipes emerge from the ground, signaling the coming of a neighborhood where… [Read More]
Montana
Homeownership
Lauren Herby and Will Shepherd selling their syrup at a local festival.

Grant Funding and Farmers Market Sales Support the Sweet Success of Tonoloway Farm 

The “sugar makers” of Virginia’s Highland County have been perfecting their art for hundreds of years with some families continuing to produce maple syrup into the sixth and seventh generations. Lauren and Christoph Herby of Tonoloway Farm are putting their own stamp on… [Read More]
Virginia
Value Added
Rural Development Staff Stand with the Homeowner

Never Ones to Ask for Help, Couple Gets Needed Home Repairs through USDA Rural Development

Edmund and Mildred “Lorrie” Smith, at 80 years old found they urgently needed modifications to their bathroom as Edmund’s health worsened. The couple, married for 62 years and the proud parents of three children, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren found… [Read More]
New Jersey
Home RepairHomeownership Month 2023
Francis & Nicole Badibanga in front of their new home with their four children

Hope Restored Through Hard Work and Perseverance

In Salem, Utah, the reality of homeownership is finally a dream come true for Francis Badibanga and his family of six. Francis achieved this dream by working with a local self-help program, putting in hundreds of hours of sweat equity to bring down the price of his new home, and… [Read More]
Utah
HomeownershipHomeownership Month 2023Housing

Additional Success Stories