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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: 140 Stories
Cody (Caucasian white male wearing black and grey jacket with matching ballcap) and Melissa (Caucasian young adult female wearing olive green shirt)Olsen in Hyrum, Utah in June of 2024, seen standing within the wooden framework of their Mutual Self-Help house.

Building Generations of Homeownership One Nail at a Time

Cody Olsen remembers when his parents built their own home in Nibley, Utah between 2006-2007. Little did he know that 17 years later he too, would build his family home in the same way his parents did. Cody and Melissa Olsen married during the Coronavirus pandemic when the… [Read More]
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024
landscape of las vegas

She helped others through USDA programs for years. Now, USDA is helping her.

“Without this program, I would not be in my own home right now.” For years, Amanda Weaver worked to help people get back on their feet through the support of USDA assistance programs. But when it came to buying a house, it was time for USDA to help Amanda instead. As a… [Read More]
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024Housing
Joe Barb and his son outside their home in Rapid Valley

Self sacrifice leads to safe housing for at-risk area youth

Joe Barb isn’t your typical citizen. He’s the type of guy that sees someone in need and doesn’t turn away. Instead, he offers support. On a cold winter day during the COVID pandemic, Joe took his young son to the last barbershop in town that was still open. “I was talking to… [Read More]
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024Rural Development
picture of a house

Stepping Through The Door

Dylan LaRue knew immediately when he found the home meant for him. With an expansive living room and wide backyard, Dylan immediately envisioned the place as a haven—not only for himself but for his cats. “It was filled with cherished memories waiting to be made,” he said.… [Read More]
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024Housing
Homeowner stands out front of new home purchased with help from the USDA Single Family Housing Direct Loan program.

Local “Angels” Help Rural Ohio Homebuyer’s Dream Take Flight

Living in a big city like Cleveland, Toni K. dreamed of having a rural home closer to her daughter and family. But because Toni relies primarily on her Social Security retirement income, she was understandably concerned about buying a home. As Toni was considering her options,… [Read More]
Homeownership
Western Pacific Area Director Joe Diego, Homeowner Cely Valencia and Rural Housing Service Administrator Joaquin Altoro get together for a photo during Altoro's recent Guam visit.

Rural Housing Service Administrator Meets Proud Homeowner in Guam

During a recent first time visit to Guam, USDA Rural Development Rural Housing Service Administrator Joaquin Altoro was having dinner along with RD staff at a restaurant in Tumon Bay where Cely Valencia works as senior supervisor. She learned that all at the table work for… [Read More]
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024
Mary Ann and Eric Forrester on the back deck of their new home purchased with help from USDA Rural Development

Opening the Door to a Healthier Future Through Home Ownership

Mary Ann Forrester is living proof that “life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” The familiar lyric from John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)” offers a perfect picture of her path to home ownership and fierce commitment to her son’s health and… [Read More]
Homeownership
Chelsea Langevin purchased her new home with the help of a USDA Rural Development Section 502 Housing Direct Loan.

Partnership Makes Homebuying Easier for West Virginia Homeowner

It was 2023 and Chelsea Langevin was in the market for a new home. It wasn’t Chelsea’s first time buying a home, but it would be her first time doing it on her own. Chelsea knew she needed some help weighing her options and helping her through the homebuying process. That’s when… [Read More]
HomeownershipHousing
The Union Valley Apartments participates in two U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Rural Development RD Multifamily Housing programs that assists the property owners and residents, in Finleyville, PA, on Sept. 2, 2021.

Emergency Rental Assistance Proves Vital to Pennsylvania Tenants

Residents of Multi-Family Housing Complex Thankful For Aid For Carole Fosbaugh, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Multi-Family Housing program has allowed her to age in place in rural Pennsylvania. “I would not have been able to afford to live here and couldn’t have… [Read More]
HomeownershipHousing
Rural Housing Service (RHS) Administrator Joaquin Altoro and Hawaii/Western Pacific State Director Chris Kanazawa speaks with Guam's Governor Lou Leon Guerrero following the outreach event held at the University of Guam.

USDA Rural Development Hosts Community Outreach Event at the University of Guam

On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, USDA Rural Development Hawaii/Western Pacific State Director Chris Kanazawa, Rural Housing Service (RHS) Administrator Joaquin Altoro and USDA RD program representatives provided an overview of loans and grants available for rural area residents,… [Read More]
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