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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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Find Stories

Use the filters below to find additional stories about how our programs have helped rural communities across the nation.

Search Results: 56 Stories
Vicki Beckendorf of Odin recently compelted a long-awaited kitchen renovation with the help of Rural Development's Section 504 Program.

Transforming a Kitchen Dream into Reality

Meet Vicki Beckendorf, a longtime resident of Odin, Minnesota. In 1998, she and her husband fell in love with their charming farmhouse, built in 1912. Over the years, however, the house began to show its age, revealing a growing list of repairs and updates that needed attention… [Read More]
Minnesota
Home RepairHousing
Joe Lewis, Rural Development home repair program recipient.

From Devastation to Renewal: The Journey of Mr. Joe Lewis

Inspiring Journey to Home RepairMeet Mr. Joe Lewis. Like his namesake, the former first black world heavyweight champion, Mr. Lewis, at 84 years old, is a champion in spirit. Living in Monterey, Louisiana, the unincorporated community in Concordia Parish, Mr. Lewis is one of the… [Read More]
Louisiana
Home RepairHousing
Carmen greets Alberto in her newly renovated home

El Desarrollo Rural de USDA Ayuda a Restaurar la Esperanza en Loiza, Puerto Rico

Carmen, una residente de mucho tiempo en la tranquila comunidad de Loiza, Puerto Rico, ha experimentado su parte de dificultades. En 1999, Carmen y su difunto esposo compraron su casa con un pequeño préstamo de su suegra. Durante años, la pareja disfrutó de su vida en Loiza.… [Read More]
Puerto Rico
DisasterHome Repair
Carmen greets Alberto in her newly renovated home

USDA Rural Development Helps Restore Hope in Loiza, Puerto Rico

Carmen, a longtime resident of the quiet community of Loiza, Puerto Rico, has experienced her share of hardships. In 1999, Carmen and her late husband purchased their home with a small loan from her mother-in-law. For years, the couple enjoyed their life in Loiza.“Everything is… [Read More]
Puerto Rico
DisasterHome Repair
Iris standing in front of her house in Loiza, Puerto Rico

De la lucha a la estabilidad: Restaurando una casa familiar en Loíza

En un terreno multigeneracional en la zona rural de Loíza, Puerto Rico, se erige un nuevo hogar para Iris. Iris es una de nueve hermanos que crecieron en la casa, originalmente construida en un terreno que fue legado por sus abuelos."Los abuelos le dieron un pedazo de tierra a… [Read More]
Puerto Rico
DisasterHome Repair
A woman stands before a cream colored house set into a hillside, with a brick patio and white patio furniture arranged. There is a green lawn in the foreground and trees in the background in bright sunshine.

Maine Retiree Turns to Rural Development for Help Recovering from Flash Flood

After a dozen years in her Franklin County home, lifelong Mainer Lucille thought she knew what to expect during bad weather. Therefore, when torrential rains struck Western Maine on June 29, 2023, she wasn’t particularly alarmed at first. Her home is located partway up a hill… [Read More]
Maine
DisasterHome Repair
Man standing in front of house on wooded lot.

Keeping Housing Affordable and Safe in Rural Ohio Town

Representatives from Yellow Springs Home, Inc., and USDA Rural Development in Ohio celebrate partnership that helps provide safe, affordable housing for families in and near the Village of Yellow Springs, Ohio. USDA Photo. Since 1995,… [Read More]
Ohio
Home RepairHousing
Alfreda Jarrett-Reynolds poses in front of a Brunswick banner

Partnering to Forge a Better Future for the People of Brunswick County

Southside Virginia may be within driving distance of the state capital, but its tight-knit rural communities are a world away from the more fast-paced urban scene of Richmond. While the region’s agricultural roots run deep, the farms still in operation today can’t sustain the… [Read More]
Virginia
COREEconomic DevelopmentHome Repair
Janie's home

Housing Repair Grants Uplifting Ohio Community

For nearly 60 years the Pickaway County Community Action Organization (PICCA) has worked to improve the quality of life for families and individuals in Circleville, Ohio, and the surrounding area.     By offering programs… [Read More]
Ohio
Home Repair
NJ resident Antonia Santos stands in front of repaired home.

A Restoration of Relief

In the neighborhood of Mount Holly, New Jersey, amidst leafy streets and usually friendly faces, resides Antonia Santos, a spirited retiree with a knack for do-it-yourself projects. Her story intertwines perseverance, a few helping hands, and a work ethic that can’t be disrupted… [Read More]
New Jersey
Home Repair

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