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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: 179 Stories
Cople District firefighters Donald and Ryan King wearing SCBA equipment.

Disaster Grant Gets Northern Neck Firefighters Breathing Easier

Danger may be part of the job description for firefighters, but one critical piece of protective gear can significantly lower health risks for those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect lives and property in rural Virginia. “We consider every environment to be… [Read More]
Virginia
Community FacilitiesDisasterFirst Responders
Allen Parish Healthcare

Building a Healthier Future in Allen Parish through Rural Development Community Facilities Programs

USDA Rural Development Louisiana's Community Facilities Programs are key to strategic investments in rural communities. One recent success is our partnership with Allen Parish Community Healthcare in Kinder, Louisiana. This rural hospital—serving not just Allen Parish but also… [Read More]
Louisiana
Community Facilities
A police officer stands beside a police car with a police dog

K9 Unit Supports Northeast Iowa Community with Help from USDA Grant

Postville, Iowa, population 2,500, is a hard-working community in the northeast corner of the state supported by an international workforce. A sign at the edge of town reads “Hometown to the World.” People come here to work in local industries, including meatpacking and… [Read More]
Iowa
Community Facilities
Man sitting at desk in front of many computer screens.

Rural Ohio 911 Dispatch Center Gets Upgrade with USDA Help

The Gallia County 911 Communication Center near Gallipolis, Ohio. USDA Photo.  Gallia County’s police, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS) each employed separate dispatchers. Sometimes this created confusion when coordinating… [Read More]
Ohio
Community FacilitiesFirst Responders
A group of staff and volunteers pose for a photo during the grand opening celebration of The BRICK food bank.

The BRICK Executive Director shares what kept her motivated through the expansion of one of the busiest food pantries in Northern Wisconsin

A $154,500 USDA Rural Development Community Facilities grant helped increase the square footage and modernize the Food Shelf at The BRICKWhen one of the busiest food pantries in Northern Wisconsin took on a multi-year renovation project, which involved a move to and from a… [Read More]
Wisconsin
Community Facilities
Six women sit around a table drinking coffee and tea

As the Door County Granary interpretive museum prepares to open for the 2025 season, the women who began the project are as dedicated as ever

A $3.3 million USDA Rural Development Community Facilities grant helped restore a historical giant that was instrumental in shaping Wisconsin’s global agricultural significance  It has taken dozens of people to complete the first phases of the project to restore the 75-foot… [Read More]
Wisconsin
Community Facilities
Three men standing next to a police equipped sport utility vehicle.

Public Safety Gets Boost in Popular Ohio Vacation Destination

Rural communities and small towns could teach master classes in creative problem solving for operating on tight budgets and stretching scarce resources.   Patrolman Jason Keeler sits in the new K-9 equipped sport utility vehicle… [Read More]
Ohio
Community FacilitiesFirst Responders
Morris YMCA

YMCA Receives a $3.5 Million USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Grant, Making Health and Medicinal Rehabilitation Services More Accessible in Rural Communities

Champaign, IL, Feb 10th, 2025 - YMCAs are widely known for benefitting communities by offering low-cost wellness centers, kids’ programs, community engagement, and more. Rural areas especially suffer from a lack of these services. … [Read More]
Illinois
Community Facilities
Carter County Presiding Commissioner Ron Kenny

Carter County's New Equipment to Tackle Winter Roads

Carter County ensures winter readinessBy Sierra RuscoCarter County, Missouri, nestled in the southeast region of the beautiful Missouri Ozarks, boasts a population of approximately 5,202 residents. The county’s picturesque landscape features winding, steep roads that can pose… [Read More]
Missouri
Community Facilities
People on staircase cutting a ribbon.

Ohio Celebrates Opening of New Independent Living Facility

Ohio Eastern Star Home gathered with family, friends, community leaders, and partners to cut the ribbon and celebrate opening of the newest addition to its 60-acre Mt. Vernon, Ohio campus. Pine Hill, an apartment complex featuring 40… [Read More]
Ohio
Community FacilitiesHousing

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