In Nevada, Iowa, a family-owned and operated business is expanding thanks in part to a $2 million loan from USDA.

Mid-States Material Handling and Fabrication is a manufacturer of agricultural material handling equipment, structural steel towers, catwalks, and other steel components used for commercial, agricultural, food, and energy industries.

For more than 33 years, Ms. Jacqueline Smith has lived in her Crosby home that was built in 1960. As a single mother, she raised three children on her own when her husband left her many years ago. Ms. Smith describes herself as a good listener and an upbeat ‘people person’ who loves to cook and drive. She remains optimistic and hopeful, despite her son’s death in 2017. Due to persistent medical challenges and resulting financial instability, Ms. Smith has struggled to make consistent repairs and upgrades to her aging home. A neighbor told her about Rebuilding Together Houston.

After traveling down a long, narrow dirt road in Dixon, New Mexico, I eventually came to the production area for La Mesa Farms. There, more than 5,000 beautiful ears of blue corn were hung up to dry for the winter. They would soon be taken down, and the corn removed from the cob and processed for the coming season’s products.

Standing under those ears of corn, Mesa Ruiz, farmer and owner of the farm, shared a little about his family’s journey from selling clothing to selling apple cider, and finally adding blue corn products to their cider sales.

G8 Farms, LLC, a woman-owned poultry growing operation in the rural landscape of Angelina County, Texas, is making strides towards a more sustainable and efficient future. With two breeder/layer houses comprising its facility, the farm is dedicated to poultry breeding and egg production, serving as a cornerstone of the local agricultural community.

Food insecurity in rural Kentucky, depending on who you ask, is somewhere around 15 percent. That means about one out of every six households does not have access to affordable nutritious food, putting them at increased risk for conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. Kentucky also leads the nation in food insecurity among older adults.

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 Foundations,” the company has earned a reputation for excellence in the clean energy sector.

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 project manager, the new nursing home facility embodies the entity’s commitment to providing top-tier care for their aging population.

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 to Taos,” said Elena Dumond, the Sagebrush Inn general manager who began working at the hotel in 2018. “A lot of the community has been coming here since they were young kids and a lot of people have a lot of memories here whether it’s a wedding, a quinceañera or special occasion with their families.”

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.