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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: 177 Stories
Senator Susan Collins stands with members of the Corinna Fire Department and others at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new fire station.

Eight-bell Turns a Thing of the Past for the Corinna Fire Department

The Corinna Fire Department groundbreaking ceremony July 31, 2023 (from left to right: Shawn Richards, Jeff Dorman, Allen Emerson, T.J. Emerson, John Bridges and Shawn Henderson). Less than one year after breaking ground on a new fire… [Read More]
Maine
Community FacilitiesFirst RespondersInfrastructure
Smiling people hold a ribbon inside the Maine Arts Academy during the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Bringing Free Arts Education to More Maine High School Students

Established in 2016, Maine Arts Academy (MeAA) initially operated out of rented space at the Snow Pond Arts Center in Sidney, Maine. Originally conceived of by John Wiggin of the New England Music Camp, in its early years the new public charter school and the music camp were co-… [Read More]
Maine
Community FacilitiesEducation
On Thursday, August 1, 2024; the Young Women’s Christian Association or YWCA opened the doors of their new facility in Bedford, Pennsylvania.

New YWCA Opens in McKean County

On Thursday, August 1, 2024; the Young Women’s Christian Association or YWCA opened the doors of their new facility in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The clinic hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for a brand-new facility more than 13,950 square feet. In total, the project cost $5.75… [Read More]
Pennsylvania
Community Facilities
Wolfe County KY Search & Rescue Team

USDA Rural Development helps search & rescue team save lives

USDA Rural Development program dollars do more than just increase prosperity – they save lives.Each year, Wolfe County, Kentucky, sees tens of thousands of rock climbers, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts who visit Red River Gorge and surrounding recreational areas. Anyone… [Read More]
Kentucky
Community FacilitiesFirst Responders
In 2021, USDA Rural Development in Pennsylvania partnered with Schwenksville Borough to turn their former firehouse into a borough hall and community center.

USDA Helps Fund New Borough Hall in Schwenksville

In 2021, USDA Rural Development in Pennsylvania partnered with Schwenksville Borough to turn their former firehouse into a borough hall and community center. The Borough utilized the USDA RD Community Facilities program with a low-interest loan to renovate the property to meet… [Read More]
Pennsylvania
Community Facilities
Group photo of Theatre Guild of Buchanan County members in the Community Arts Mainstage building

Theater Takes Center Stage in Buchanan County

They may not be quite as colorful as their counterparts from the acclaimed 1989 film, but the women behind the Theatre Guild of Buchanan County are “Steel Magnolias” in their own right with a fierce commitment to lifting up their community and providing an artistic outlet for… [Read More]
Virginia
Community Facilities
The City of Luverne is partnering with a nonprofit to turn a vacant office building into a childcare center.

City of Luverne Partners with Non-Profit to Address Childcare Shortage

Families in Rock County, Minnesota have had limited choices when it comes to childcare. Now, the City of Luverne is taking action to provide much needed relief for working families. Rural Minnesota, especially Rock County, suffers from a critical shortage in childcare… [Read More]
Minnesota
Community Facilities
Howard Lake officials believe their city will open the first net-zero library in Minnesota

City of Howard Lake to Open First Net-Zero Library in Minnesota

A project that has been years in the making for a small Minnesota town is wrapping up. By the end of the summer, the City of Howard Lake is expected to open the doors of their new, state-of-the-art public library. Howard Lake’s current library is the smallest library in the… [Read More]
Minnesota
Community Facilities

It Takes a Village: Building Hope in Southern Oregon

A strong community must have affordable housing. The lack of affordable or available housing in Cave Junction, Oregon, has led to a housing crisis that has affected the people of this small, rural community within the Illinois Valley. Unpredictable wildfires and a major shift… [Read More]
Oregon
Community FacilitiesCOREHomeownership 2024Housing
Castleton Library in Castleton, Vermont

Castleton Library Goes Vertical to Serve the Entire Community

The Castleton Free Library (CFL) in Castleton, Vermont is a beloved historic institution that serves its community far beyond the conventional role of book repository. By collaborating with other libraries throughout the region, the staff takes a proactive approach to expanding… [Read More]
Vermont and New Hampshire
Community Facilities

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