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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: 15 Stories
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]
Nevada
HomeownershipHomeownership 2024Housing
Donna Carpegna stands on the front porch of her home in Fort Ashby, West Virginia. Donna purchased the house with help from a USDA Section 502 Direct Loan.

Through Life's Ups and Downs, USDA Is There

Life has its ups and downs. We can make all the plans we want, but sometimes life throws a wrench in those plans. Things were looking up for Donna Carpegna in 1997. Donna was working with USDA Rural Development Area Specialist Wendell Alt to secure a Section 502 Direct Loan to… [Read More]
West Virginia
Homeownership 2024Housing

It Takes a Village: Building Hope in Southern Oregon

A strong community must have affordable housing. The lack of affordable or available housing in Cave Junction, Oregon, has led to a housing crisis that has affected the people of this small, rural community within the Illinois Valley. Unpredictable wildfires and a major shift… [Read More]
Oregon
Community FacilitiesCOREHomeownership 2024Housing
Brian Ranger's Home

Welcome to Tennessee!!

Nothing says welcome to Tennessee better than owning a new home. When Brian Ranger decided it was time to leave California and move to Tennessee, he hoped that this would be his opportunity at homeownership. Now, nearly 4 ½ years after successfully buying a Tennessee home, Mr.… [Read More]
Tennessee
Homeownership 2024
Jolene stands outside her home.

Home repair leads to forgotten memories

As the days get longer and warmer, the sound of hammers against rooftops are a common sound echoing across neighborhoods as homeowners replace old shingles weathered by time, harsh South Dakota winters, and the strong spring winds that blow across the prairie. But replacing a… [Read More]
South Dakota
Home RepairHomeownership 2024

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