Right on the banks of the Mississippi River, Camanche, Iowa, boasts of a long history of small town life. With the big river so close, scenic views are everywhere. With larger cities nearby, education and employment opportunities are within reach.

“Camanche is a grassroots community,” said Laura McCaughey. “It matches my goals and takes me into a rural space.”

Anya Lindsey is a single mother with two young children, one of whom is autistic. Anya was living with her parents and sharing just one bedroom with her sons. As she experienced a change in circumstances which came with a little extra income, she hoped to use it to secure a home of their own. In July 2022, Anya heard a news story about USDA's housing affordability options and called her local office. At the time, conditions with the housing market were discouraging and Anya worried it might be impossible to afford a home on limited income.

USDA Rural Development leadership attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the Chugachmiut Regional Health Center in Seward, Alaska, Saturday, June 3. The occasion marked the start of construction of the $20 million facility. 

The 15,475 square foot Tribally owned and operated health clinic will serve as a regional hub providing medical, dental, and behavioral health services for Alaskans in seven Tribal communities. Construction is scheduled to finish in December 2024.

You won’t find too many people who love their new roof as much as Linda Lawson. The shiny blue metal sheets not only appeal to her artistic sensibilities but also give her a greater sense of security as a barrier from the storms of life.

The freelance photographer was already living on a low income when water began dripping through the ceiling fan in her Wytheville, Va., home in August of 2021. The threat of an electrical fire from the water and space heaters in the residence added to her sense of unease. 

While Virginia’s Eastern Shore is known for its majestic sunsets, beaches and rural country living, a short drive off the main roads of Northampton County reveals a persistent poverty area dotted with aging homes that residents have little or no means to repair. Many properties are uninhabitable due to deferred maintenance and passed down through generations in a derelict condition.

It was 2019, Richard Smith was unemployed and had just lost everything he owned in an apartment fire. To say Smith was down on his luck was an understatement but his two children provided him with the motivation to pick himself up and turn his luck around. 

“It’s just me and my two kids,” said Smith. “They’re the ones who provoked me to do this and I just couldn’t give up on them.”

Who doesn’t love breaking open a fortune cookie to find the hidden message inside? The vague prophesies are more fun than fact but intriguing, nonetheless. In Farmville, Va., Piedmont Habitat for Humanity is turning that concept on its head by putting two sturdily constructed halves together to change the futures of four new homeowners with help from USDA Rural Development (RD).