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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 their 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: 767 Stories
Cane Bay YMCA

Long-Awaited YMCA Opens in Cane Bay

The long-awaited Cane Bay YMCA opened Saturday, April 27, 2019.  The 54,000 square foot facility is the largest facility of its kind in the Lowcountry.  The building and outdoor recreation fields span 34 of the 69 acres donated by Cane Bay Plantation.  “There are… [Read More]
Community Facilities

Dreams Are Being Built in Benton County

Gail Arnold’s dream of constructing a new home on her family’s property is coming true, with a home loan through the USDA’s Rural Development Rural Housing 502 loan program.  “This is my dream come true and I am so appreciative!” Arnold said at the ground breaking with… [Read More]
HomeownershipHousing

Dreams Are Being Built in Lake County

Cora Wyatt‘s dream of constructing a new home on her own property is coming true with a home loan through a partnership between the USDA’s Rural Development Rural Housing 502 loan program and FAHE’s (Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises, Inc) Project Reinvest initiative… [Read More]
HomeownershipHousing
The Weise family recently moved into their new home in Molalla, Oregon.

Homeownership Helps Rural Working Family Thrive

Housing was a constant concern for the Gonzalez-Weise family. They lived in a rental that was at the top end of their budget, but the roof leaked, and soon the house developed black mold. They were ready for a new home that would be safe for their three-year-old son. They… [Read More]
Housing
Power cot

New Cot Increases Efficiency for Volunteer First Responders

The Harrison, Neb. voluntary rescue unit’s ambulance had an old cot that was not electric and required emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to wait for additional help to load and unload a patient. Often, the wait was long due to few volunteers being available. The… [Read More]
Community Facilities
Unadilla cot

Unadilla Fire and Rescue get Helping “Hand”

The Unadilla volunteer fire and rescue department recognized the need for equipment that would allow a single first responder to load a patient upon arrival.  A delay was occurring in getting the overdosed or injured patient to the hospital for treatment. Often times… [Read More]
Community Facilities
New furnace

No More Fireworks At This Home

Linda Karpen is a homeowner in Mitchell, Nebraska.  Shooting flames were coming out of her furnace, located in the crawlspace of the house, creating a severe danger. This made her extremely worrisome, wondering if the home would catch fire or that she may be without… [Read More]
Home Repair
The Mapleton High School track was resurfaced with help from a USDA grant.

Rural School District Sprints to the Finish Line with Major Track Repair

In the rural town of Mapleton in western Oregon, students attend high school on a campus sandwiched between the Siuslaw River on one side and the Coast Range on the other. Nestled in the forest, the high school track is distinctive with its triangular shape and 300-meter length… [Read More]
Community FacilitiesEducation
Library employee at desk

Library Renovation Ensures Future Learning Opportunities

North Dakota libraries provide learning opportunities throughout the state and are integral in ensuring free information is available to community members. With a large percentage of North Dakota residents spread across rural towns, it is imperative libraries can provide access… [Read More]
Community Facilities
Capulin LIbrary Visitor

Helping a small rural community with library services

It is great to see how a public library can make all the difference in a rural community.  In 1978, the Conejos Library opened and became a district in 2000.  The library was assigned a mil levy and in 2008 the district, through the use of grants and the levy saved… [Read More]
Community Facilities

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