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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: 874 Stories
A USDA loan specialist stands on the steps of a house with the new homeowner and her family

USDA Rural Development and Habitat for Humanity Partner to Promote Homeownership for Northeast Iowa Family

Chasity, the mother of two children in Independence, Iowa, knew her family needed a better place to live. She reached out to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) to talk about a mortgage.Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity owned an old house in town… [Read More]
Iowa
Housing
Wagner police car on main street

Community outreach leads to enhanced safety, reliability for rural police department

Outreach events offer a unique opportunity for community leaders and Rural Development staff to come together, identify community needs, and match potential projects with Rural Development funding.During one such visit between the Wagner mayor, city finance officer, and the… [Read More]
South Dakota
First Responders
Mallory behind the counter at Happ Coffee.

The Brother- (and Sister-) hood of the Traveling Loan, Chapter Six: Happ Coffee

Aaron Mallory’s ties to his community are as strong and rich as the brews available in his Waynesboro coffee shop. He created the upscale, yet cozy, cafe to be a third space between work and home where his neighbors can experience the highs and lows of life together. “… [Read More]
Virginia
Business
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
Dane Hauser with apple press

Hauser’s Superior View Farm & Apfelhaus Cidery team presses on for April reveal of hard apple cider taproom

Owner Dane Hauser shares insights on the process to apply for a USDA Rural Development Value-Added Producer Grant The new hard apple cider taproom is ready to provide brews and views starting in April. Photo courtesy of Hauser's Superior… [Read More]
Wisconsin
Value Added
Rob Seal with guitars and a banjo available for sale

The Brother- (and Sister-) hood of the Traveling Loan, Chapter Five: Waynesboro Music

You could say that music is in Rob Seal’s DNA. His granddad was a bluegrass musician from Russell County who took him to picking parties every summer, and his brother is a professional guitar player in Nashville. Seal took up the instrument at an early age and possesses the most… [Read More]
Virginia
Business
Guidry's Catfish building expansion.

Guidry’s Catfish Secures $7 Million Grant, Expands Business and Creates 100 Jobs, Ensuring a Bright Future for Rural Louisiana

Nestled in the vibrant heart of south-central Louisiana, Guidry's Catfish Inc., a family-owned and operated business, is infamously known to locals for having some of the best U.S. farm-raised catfish in the region. With a commitment to quality, community, and sustainability,… [Read More]
Louisiana
BusinessEconomic DevelopmentGrantsMade in Rural America
Krupa and Fullwood at the Heritage on Main Street host station

The Brother- (and Sister-) hood of the Traveling Loan, A Tale of Two Businesses

For Kris Krupa and Mandi Fullwood, a caffeine boost isn’t just a great way to start the day. It was so instrumental to the daily operations of their Heritage on Main Street restaurant that they brewed up a plan to start a coffee shop to keep both enterprises running strong.… [Read More]
Virginia
Business
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
Brian Mininger with the Bear Creek sign

The Brother- (and Sister-) hood of the Traveling Loan, Chapter Three: Bear Creek Outdoor Living

Waynesboro’s proximity to Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail makes it a perfect place for hiking, biking, paddling and fly fishing in the great outdoors. It’s also a terrific location for adventures in your own backyard with a little help from Brian… [Read More]
Virginia
Business

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