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Success Stories

“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: 28 Stories
North wing addition.

Campus Addition for Classroom and Community Cultural Space

The Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC), a federal land grant institution since 1994, serves two tribal nations: the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska at the Macy Campus and the Santee Sioux Nation at the Santee Campus. A third campus site is located in South Sioux City. NICC’s… [Read More]
woman standing beside new shower in bathroom

Investing in Safe, Affordable Housing on a South Dakota Reservation

Biological needs – sleep, food, water, air, shelter - form the base as they are of the greatest importance in maintaining life. Once a person has met the biological needs, the next concern is safety. In one of the poorest counties in the nation, Buffalo County, USDA Rural… [Read More]
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation sign

It's All About the Connections

In rural South Dakota, tribal members often lack access to higher education courses and facilities.  Students living on the 1,900-square-mile Rosebud Indian Reservation and the 11,000-square-mile Oglala Lakota Sioux Indian Reservation, for instance, struggle to travel long… [Read More]
New Classroom.

New Classrooms at College Help Meet Demand for Higher Education

Little Priest Tribal College in Winnebago, Nebraska, is experiencing continued growth in student enrollment which stands at 768 students for all campuses. This is a 40% increase and the trend is expected to continue as the college pursues a robust recruiting and public relations… [Read More]
Photo of Zuni Housing Authority building and sign out front.

New Homes Dedicated at Zuni Pueblo New Mexico

USDA Rural Housing Service Administrator Tony Hernandez joined State Director Terry Brunner to dedicate three homes at Zuni Pueblo and three apartment complexes in Gallup as part of National Homeownership Month celebrations. “Throughout my travels, I’ve seen how rural… [Read More]

Oglala Lakota College Administers Educational Opportunities With Support from USDA

Schools in South Dakota play a vital role in educating and preparing future generations for postsecondary education and careers.  An expansion of the educational outcomes for American Indian students across the state focuses on Tribal Colleges.  Providing necessary and… [Read More]
Oglala Lakota College Success Story

Oglala Lakota College Partners with USDA Rural Development to Deliver Services

Oglala Lakota College (OLC) partnered with  USDA Rural Development in 2015 to enhance program accessibility in underserved rural areas and communities.  Through a coordinated effort, workshops were held in three reservation communities to provide information and… [Read More]
Red Cloud Indian School

Our Lady of Lourdes Provides Foundational Skills and Oh So Much More

It was a special day for the students at the Our Lady of Lourdes, OLL, K- 8th grade school in Porcupine, SD as it was their last day before Thanksgiving break and many of their parents had joined them for lunch.  It was fun to see the students excited about the holidays and… [Read More]