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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
An aircraft landing at Luray Caverns Airport

Airport Upgrades Take Wing in Page County

While chicken coops are pretty common in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, it IS unusual to find one being used as an airport terminal. The original function may not be readily apparent to first-time visitors, but it’s easy to see that the converted poultry house has seen better… [Read More]
Virginia
Community Facilities
Librarians present and past, Tina Peterson (L) and Kathleen Schreiber (R) in Harlowton's Library.

Local Library “More than Just Books” for Rural Montana Town

“The Light Lies on the Farther Hills,” was the motto of the Harlowton Women’s Club at is founding in 1921. The club’s first project was to establish a public library for the town to “stimulate intellectual development and promote fellowship.” That same year, the Harlowton… [Read More]
Montana
Community Facilities
Bennett County Hospital

What if the ambulance never comes?

Audio file Your browser does not support the audio element. What-if-the-ambulance-never-comes-Bennett-County-Hospital.mp3 Download files: What-if-the-ambulance-never-comes-… [Read More]
South Dakota
Community FacilitiesFirst RespondersGrantsHealth Care
A picture of Barbour County Deputy Sheriff's wearing their new body cameras and standing in front of their new cruisers.

Barbour County Sheriff's Department and USDA: Partners in Prosperity

At USDA Rural Development West Virginia, we are advocates for, investors in, and partners to rural communities and the people, businesses, local governments, and organizations within those communities. We’re here to help rural communities overcome obstacles and work with them to… [Read More]
West Virginia
Community Facilities
Mni Waste water tower in Eagle Butte, SD

Delivering mni wašté to residents of Cheyenne River Reservation

The Lakota phrase mni wasté translates to mean good water, which is what Mni Wasté Water Company’s 13 staff strive to deliver to the residents of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and surrounding area every day. Leo ‘Earp’ Fischer is the director of the water company. He’s been… [Read More]
South Dakota
Community FacilitiesGrantsRural DevelopmentTribalWater
The New Bethlehem Fire Company in New Bethlehem, Pa., received a $196,700 Community Facilities (CF) Direct Loan and $105,800 CF grant in Fiscal Year 2022 to purchase the new fire truck.

Rescuing Rural Clarion County with New Fire Truck

New Bethlehem Fire Company Attack Unit's new fire truck did not take long to prove its worth. On Nov. 28, just after 6 p.m., the company responded to a barn fire in the furthest possible location in their service area. The barn was located on a small dirt road that prior to… [Read More]
Pennsylvania
Community Facilities
Dr. Katherine Parks, DVM, member of Harlowton Rodeo Committee who spearheaded grandstand project.

Preserving History in a Rural Montana Community

Built in 1910, the rodeo arena at Chief Joseph Park in Harlowton, Montana, stands as an enduring monument to agricultural life and is a frequent gathering spot for residents of this small town nestled on the plains near central Montana’s Judith Mountains. From rodeos to funerals… [Read More]
Montana
Community Facilities
A group of people are standing in a line with shovels at a groundbreaking event.

Lakes Country Public Library Starts a New Chapter with Expansion Project

The forecast called for rain and a high of 56 degrees the day construction workers broke ground at the Lakes Country Public Library expansion site in Lakewood, Wisconsin. Book lovers would say it was ideal weather to curl up with a soft blanket, cup of coffee, and a good book… [Read More]
Wisconsin
Community FacilitiesEducation
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

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