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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: 82 Stories
A woman wearing denim overalls stands in a green field with flowers in the foreground and solar panels and trees in the background.

REAP at the Junction of Farming and Clean Energy

When Eileen Flanagan and John Cochrane moved to Vassalboro, Maine and founded their farm, Junction Garden LLC, they knew they had a lot to learn about diversified agriculture in Maine. As they developed their market farm and growing business, one goal stood out: “We were very… [Read More]
Maine
EnergyLocal FoodsLocal ProduceREAPRenewable EnergySolar Energy
A woman stands in the lobby area of a small gym in rural Colorado. A teal colored sign with a skull and wing logo for Catacombs Fitness Collective is displayed on the wall behind her.

Sunny Southwest Colorado Gym Owner Adds Solar to Support Community Spirit

Tracie Holcomb, the owner of Catacombs Fitness Collective in Durango, Colorado, has continually sought ways to enhance her gym’s role as a community cornerstone. “Our motto is fitness and community,” says Tracie. “We think if people have a safe space where their friends are,… [Read More]
Colorado
EnergyREAPRenewable EnergySmall BusinessSolar Energy
Photo of Walt and Deidre Iciek of Taraanthon Cattle

Michigan Dairy Cuts Electricity Costs by up to 90 Percent with REAP Grant

Dairy cows and sustainability have always been a part of Deidre Iciek’s life. As the oldest daughter of two veterinarians, she grew up around animals, large and small, from the time she was born. After high school, she majored in environmental studies at Michigan State… [Read More]
Michigan
REAPSolar Energy
Photo of Sportel Greenhouses' co-owner, Kevin Sportel

Rural Energy for America Program Grant Powers Flower Growth at Michigan Greenhouse

When Ron Sportel’s grandfather started his celery farm in Comstock, Michigan, in 1918, he probably didn’t expect the family farm would sell flowers to big box stores across five states 100 years later. Sportel’s father and uncle continued growing celery on the family farm until… [Read More]
Michigan
REAPSolar Energy
Photo of Jim Kober, Owner of Alpine Pork

Solar Panels Help Save Money and Create More Energy to Secure Future for Michigan Farm

Kent County, Michigan, is the kind of place where everyone seems to know everyone. It is also the place where Jim Kober grew up helping on the family pig farm. His grandparents established the family farm originally as an apple orchard in the early 1900s. “I grew up there and I… [Read More]
Michigan
REAPSolar Energy
Photo of Arrow Farms Owners

Sunshine Powers Michigan Hog Farm

Sustainability may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about hog farms, but for Arrow Farms in Scotts, Michigan, it is a part of their business model. Jarred Lorenz, Arrow Farms owner and H&H Farms general manager of hog operations, views hog production… [Read More]
Michigan
REAPSolar Energy
The Pelican Athletic Club General Manager Alix St. Pé, USDA Rural Business Cooperative Services Administrator Betsy Londrigan, Associate Deputy Administrator Dr. James Jordan, Rural Development Chief of Staff Leroy Garcia, Special Advisor Robert Lyons alongside Rural Development Louisiana Business Programs Director Whey McGrew, Community Programs Director Matt Seaton, along with 50 USDA staff from across the country. The Next Solar Energy Technology Inc.'s Vice President of Sales, Eric LeBlanc, General Man

Pelican Athletic Club Enhances Energy Efficiency with USDA Rural Development Grants

Pelican Athletic Club Enhances Energy Efficiency with USDA Rural Development Grants The Pelican Athletic Club greeted and welcomed USDA Rural Development staff to their premier fitness and wellness center in Mandeville, Louisiana, to show off their new energy efficiency… [Read More]
Louisiana
EnergyGrantsREAPRenewable EnergySolar Energy
John Hocreither, the resort’s president, hopes the grant will grow the business. The farm passed through three generations, starting with Hocreither's grandparents. Hocreither now runs Lukan’s alongside his brother, and he said the two juggle lots of jobs.

Solar Project in Wayne County Helps Eliminate Electric Bills

Lukan’s Farm Resort will generate enough energy to power 15 homes through the Rural Energy for America Program, which helps small businesses and farms invest in renewable energy. Lukan’s Farm is expected to save around $23,600 per year by switching to solar. Luan’s is family-… [Read More]
Pennsylvania
EnergyREAPRenewable Energy
Brian Eng of Sustaine and the three owners of The Bankery and Skowhegan Fleuriste stand on the sidewalk in front of The Bankery with other businesses visible in the background.

Reaping Savings, Employee Retention, and a Better Workplace Culture with REAP TAG

Transitioning to renewable energy or committing to significant energy efficiency improvements requires major investments of time and capital for a business. It helps to have a trusted advisor to navigate the process. In October 2023, USDA Rural Development in Maine announced… [Read More]
Maine
BusinessEnergyREAPRenewable EnergySmall Business
Two farmers pose with sheep inside a barn with hay on the floor and an open door in the background.

Maine Farm Uses REAP to Help Diversify Farm and Serve a Heritage Industry

Elizabeth Goundie and Josh Emerman are the co-founders of Moorit Hill Farm and Fiber in Troy, Maine. They came to Central Maine by a circuitous route, purchasing the property in 2017. Just seven years later, the young farmers are not only tending more than 70 sheep but also… [Read More]
Maine
Food SupplyKnow Your FarmerLocal FoodsREAPSmall BusinessSolar Energy

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