Success Stories

Even before the pandemic, Holt County, Nebraska was facing a rural healthcare emergency. Home to just more than 10,000 people, the large county of 2,413 square miles, needed increased medical resources. West Holt Memorial Hospital applied and were approved for a direct loan… [Read More]

Last year, Adam Blondo was visiting with family about wanting to purchase a home, when they told him about the USDA Rural Development 502 Home Loan Program, and he applied. He and his wife Chambre wanted to establish roots in rural Nebraska.  Once approved, he began his… [Read More]

In September 2020, Julie McDowell of Ponca, Nebraska needed a new furnace and air conditioner for her home. The situation felt dire. Not only was the harsh Nebraska winter on its way, but her old furnace was filling her home with dangerous carbon monoxide. When she bought the… [Read More]

Jose and Jessica De Paz are celebrating. Last month marked the one-year anniversary of being homeowners, an accomplishment they weren’t sure they’d be able to realize, but they did their research and attended a homeownership education course in May 2020.  They were looking… [Read More]

Living in a rural community has its advantages; peace and quiet, a more reasonable cost of living, and friendly neighbors who pull for each other in times of need. Rural America seems to have community values that sometimes can feel lost in other places, and no one embodies… [Read More]

Homeownership, for many, it’s the ultimate American dream. However, it can be difficult to achieve in a challenging economy, especially for those of limited means, but it is not impossible. In 2020, Jaimee Souksan made the dream come true for her family of three when she… [Read More]

In rural Ord, Nebraska, Scratchtown Brewing Company, LLC is saving nearly 70 percent in energy costs thanks, in part, to a Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) renewable energy grant awarded in 2019 to purchase a new 24-kilowatt rooftop solar array. These renewable energy… [Read More]

Crawford’s Rural Fire Department Station was built in 1929 and had reached the end of its useful life by not meeting current energy, building, accessibility codes and standards. The basement had flooded thus mold was a concern. A shared wall to the west side of the station had a… [Read More]

Pawnee City had 3.8 miles of streets composed of asphalt or rock and deteriorated to the point repair was no longer feasible. With minimal to no curbing, the majority of drainage was in open ditches along the roadway. Complete replacement was necessary for safe streets in this… [Read More]

The city of Peru currently utilizes a 2004 Ford/Wheeled Coach ambulance as its primary and a 1991 Ford/Wheeled Coach as the back-up. The 1991 model has reached the end of its useful life. The 2004 model is two-wheel drive making it treacherous in bad weather, reducing the… [Read More]