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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: 868 Stories
Shawn and Mariah Butenschoen’s willingness to adapt has helped their business and their community. Photo courtesy of Dean Koepfler.

Whatcom County Couple Boosts Their Business, Serves Their Community

One of the benefits of owning your own small business is the ability to be nimble and make quick financial and operational decisions when the need arises. Shawn and Mariah Butenschoen are proof of this. The Butenschoens own a five-acre organic blueberry farm in Elverson, a… [Read More]
Washington
REAPSmall Business
Long's Pic-Pac grocery store

Rural KY grocery store uses energy efficiencies to stay competitive

For over 30 years, Mike Long has worked in some way at the grocery store in downtown Pineville that carries his last name. After all, his father opened it. “We have about 60 employees,” he said, “and we pride ourselves on being a strong part of our community. Part of that is… [Read More]
Kentucky
REAPSmall Business
TX_SFH_ErickstadHome_June2020_Photo2.jpg

New Beginnings

Preparing to search for and purchase your first home can be a confusing and exhausting time, but for the Erickstad's that process proved to be very rewarding for their young family of six. Mrs. Erickstad is someone who has always loved serving others and who is not afraid… [Read More]
Texas
Housing
Simmons Home

What Are You Waiting For

It was a Sunday afternoon when Berlynn Simmons was standing in line to check out at a local big box store located in the Low Country of South Carolina.  She noticed that a local Realtor was standing in the line behind her and decided to ask her some questions about the home… [Read More]
South Carolina
Homeownership
Scharff Home

Miracles Do Happen

The road towards homeownership for the Scharff family wasn't easy.  However, with the help of USDA Rural Development, miracles do happen.  In 2015, Jessie Scharff returned home to take care of her mother, who's health had started to decline.  Sadly, her mother… [Read More]
South Carolina
Homeownership
Last Piece of the Puzzle Lands Expansion

Last Piece of the Puzzle Lands Expansion

The last piece of this business expansion puzzle must be USDA Rural Development. Excel Boats, LLC determined in Fall 2017 they wanted to expand their business.  At the time, the company was building aluminum boats at their only manufacturing plant in Mountain View, Ark.… [Read More]
Tennessee
BusinessSmall Business
Crystal Dahl in front of her new home.

Heavenly Homeownership Experience

Single mother of three girls Crystal Dahl was determined to make her dream of homeownership a reality. She and the girls were living in an apartment that lacked adequate space and comfort. Crystal began looking at several homes through a realtor and she finally found one she… [Read More]
South Dakota
Homeownership
Rural residents benefit from key interstate partnerships, great timing

Rural residents benefit from key interstate partnerships, great timing

When you open the tap on the kitchen sink, you expect to be able to fill your empty glass with cool, refreshing, clean water. Few of us give much thought to where that water came from or how it got there. Thankfully, water districts and municipalities pay close attention to the… [Read More]
Kentucky
Water
Rural Development project uses 3D printing in fight against COVID-19 spread

Rural Development project uses 3D printing in fight against COVID-19 spread

As Kentucky does its best to battle the spread of COVID-19, state and medical providers are looking for ways to answer the increasing need for medical personal protective equipment. One of those responding in a big way is a somewhat unlikely source: Somerset Community College,… [Read More]
Kentucky
BusinessEconomic DevelopmentHealth CareSmall Business
2020-01-16 - Lane Head Start Buses

Lane Head Start Receives Two New Buses

Waccamaw Economic Opportunity Counsel  recently was awarded two Community Facilities Grants totaling $99,900 to enable them to purchase two buses for the Lane head Start facility located in lane, South Carolina.  The Counsel matched funds for their contribution of $80… [Read More]
South Carolina
Community Facilities

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