U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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 their Downeast community, and Heather was glad to find a rental home to…
Read More

Find Stories

Use the filters below to find additional stories about how our programs have helped rural communities across the nation.

Search Results: 767 Stories
Donna Carpegna stands on the front porch of her home in Fort Ashby, West Virginia. Donna purchased the house with help from a USDA Section 502 Direct Loan.

Through Life's Ups and Downs, USDA Is There

Life has its ups and downs. We can make all the plans we want, but sometimes life throws a wrench in those plans. Things were looking up for Donna Carpegna in 1997. Donna was working with USDA Rural Development Area Specialist Wendell Alt to secure a Section 502 Direct Loan to… [Read More]
Homeownership 2024Housing
A photo collage showing a groundbreaking event, a home foundation, and home being framed.

Habitat Partnership Leads to Homeownership for Ellsworth Family

A few days after the St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity celebrated its 28th year of helping families access safe, affordable housing in Wisconsin, a local mother and healthcare worker, Taylor, and her two children joined volunteers on a snowy afternoon in March to break… [Read More]
Housing
The front of a home in Michigan, North Dakota.

A Forever Home

MICHIGAN, N.D. – Hand-drawn and colored pictures from grandkids decorate the kitchen. Pictures of a life lived hang on the living room walls. Coco the dog keeps watch from outside the patio door. This is home for Rosemary Knoll, a resident of Michigan, ND (population: 250… [Read More]
Home Repair
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]
Community Facilities
Sandy Bryant speaking at the Smyth Campus groundbreaking

Bridging the Care Gaps to Foster Wellness and Recovery in Rural Virginia

The story of Mount Rogers Community Services (MRCS) extends far beyond a single person or family. The ever-expanding narrative is more like a patchwork quilt of caring that covers six jurisdictions in Southwest Virginia. Each story is personal because Chief Executive Officer… [Read More]
Health Care
Three people standing next to a sign that say S.P.O.T.

Rural Business Development Grant and Nonprofit Boost Local Businesses

Peñasco, a small mountain town in northern New Mexico, sits along the High Road to Taos, a scenic byway in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Despite its small size, Peñasco offers a surprising amount to the area. The town enjoys a variety of restaurants and businesses… [Read More]
Local FoodsSmall BusinessUnderserved
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]
Community Facilities
Handshake

A Partnership Made To Make Homeownership Possible for Native Communities

Native Community Development Financial Institution Relending Demonstration Program It’s very easy to get lost in where to start in the home buying process, between the application, documentation and the housing market it can be overwhelming. That’s when having support and… [Read More]
HousingTribal
Officials participate in the City of Virginia's groundbreaking ceremony for their new Public Safety Center

City of Virginia Breaks Ground on New Public Safety Building

The City of Virginia is undertaking a project that has been long in the making. With the help of USDA Rural Development, the city finally broke ground on the new Public Safety Center, a project that will be life changing for area residents. Law enforcement and fire departments… [Read More]
First Responders
Five people pose for a photo in a tire shop garage area

USDA Grant Helps Expand Tire Repair Service

Turning away customers is something no business owner ever wants to do, but that is exactly what employees at Traveler’s Service Station in Peñasco, New Mexico, had to do. Fortunately, the local nonprofit MAS Comunidad helped them purchase new equipment with funds from a USDA… [Read More]
GrantsSmall Business

Additional Success Stories