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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: 876 Stories

Transforming Lives with Quality Healthcare Services in Rural Alabama

Medical West Hospital Authority, an affiliate of University of Alabama at Birmingham UAB Health System, sought financing for a replacement and relocation of their existing hospital from its current Bessemer, Alabama location to rural McCalla, Alabama, in West Jefferson County,… [Read More]
Alabama
Community Facilities
Gate valve tie in on water pipe

Teaming Up to Keep Water Losses Down in an Aging Southwest Virginia System

When Jeff Kilgore started work at the Woodway Water Authority (WWA), he found himself at the helm of a proverbial sinking ship with a small crew working feverishly to plug the leaks. The new executive director knew he had to drastically improve accountability to keep the… [Read More]
Virginia
Utilities
Officials gather to break ground on the City of Mazeppa's new wastewater treatment facility

Rural Minnesota Town Breaks Ground on Long-Awaited Wastewater Treatment Facility

The City of Mazeppa recently celebrated a significant milestone with the groundbreaking of a new wastewater treatment facility, moving one step forward in ensuring a sustainable future for its residents. With over $12 million in funding from USDA Rural Development, Mazeppa will… [Read More]
Minnesota
Wastewater
Redhead Creamery remains a popular attraction in Brooten due to its cheese shop and added bar and restaurant area.

From Cheesemaking to Distilling Spirits: USDA Loan Helps Minnesota Creamery Venture Into New Industry

Nestled in the countryside of Brooten, Minnesota, Redhead Creamery stands as a beacon of innovation and community spirit. What was once a traditional dairy farm has expanded into a family-operated business widely recognized as a vibrant hub for artisan cheese and distilled… [Read More]
Minnesota
Food SupplyValue Added
Lisa Gallant, seated, on the front porch of her home in South Paris, Maine, with Rural Development State Office Specialist Wendy Palmer and Community Concepts Inc. Self-Help Manager Michael Sampson.

Grateful Homeowner in South Paris, Maine, Paints a New Vision of Her Future

 “I couldn’t be happier,” said Lisa Gallant, of her spacious single-family home in South Paris, Maine. “I get up in the morning, and I just walk out down the hallway and into the kitchen, and it’s like, ‘I can’t believe I own this,’” she said, her face lighting up with… [Read More]
Maine
Housing
Linn Valley Mayor Lewis Donelson and the Town Council prepare to break ground on the construction of their new water tower.

The Universal Product

Clean drinking water is the universal product of all communities. Everyone uses this product every day. You cannot have a healthy, vibrant community without it.Linn Valley, Kansas, had a problem. Their rural community was growing and their patchwork efforts to supply drinking… [Read More]
Kansas
Utilities
Four members of the Cold Mountain Snowmobile Club are shown seated on an orange snow dragger equipment outdoors under bright sun.

Grand Boost for Grand Isle Winter Economy

The Cold Mountain Snowmobile Club (CMSC) is based in Grand Isle, Maine. Located in the St. John Valley, the town is in the northernmost region of the state, where snowmobiles are an important feature of winter life. Businesses rely on local… [Read More]
Maine
BusinessEconomic DevelopmentGrants
Picture of USDA Rural Development team presenting award poster to YMCA Leadership.

New YMCA Opens in Ottawa, IL: A Boost for Community Health and Wellness

The city of Ottawa warmly welcomed its new YMCA facility in May 2024; a testament to community investment and local collaboration aimed at promoting health, wellness, and social engagement. This state-of-the-art facility represents a $27.5 million investment in the community,… [Read More]
Illinois
Community FacilitiesInfrastructure
Aerial view of Bluff Dwellings rooftops with red cliffs in background.

Bringing Renewable Energy to Southeast Utah Using the Desert's Greatest Resource

The remote desert of Southeastern Utah brings a landscape like no other. While towering red rock mesas and sandstone cliffs provide amazing views you see very few people, and an abundance of sunshine. Southeast Utah’s San Juan County is the largest county in Utah, covering over… [Read More]
Utah
COREREAPRenewable EnergyRural DevelopmentSolar Energy
Map of Roy Blunt Reservoir

Local, State, Federal agencies join forces to provide safe drinking water

In northern rural Missouri, 10 counties have faced a continued challenge: safe, affordable drinking water. But that’s about to change.Thanks in part to Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program (WEP), these 10 counties will no longer wonder if their water will continue… [Read More]
Missouri
Water

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