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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 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: 769 Stories
Mni Waste water tower in Eagle Butte, SD

Delivering mni wašté to residents of Cheyenne River Reservation

The Lakota phrase mni wasté translates to mean good water, which is what Mni Wasté Water Company’s 13 staff strive to deliver to the residents of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and surrounding area every day. Leo ‘Earp’ Fischer is the director of the water company. He’s been… [Read More]
Community FacilitiesGrantsRural DevelopmentTribalWater
Six Kauai families finished their home just in time for the holidays.

USDA Rural Development Helps Make ‘Home for the Holidays’ a Reality for Kauai Families

On Wednesday, November 22 Kauai’s Habitat for Humanity held a ceremony for six families who received keys at the Kauai Waimea Huakai Subdivision thanks in part to USDA Rural Development’s 502 Direct Loan program for two of the homes and the 502 Guaranteed Loan program funded six… [Read More]
Homeownership
The New Bethlehem Fire Company in New Bethlehem, Pa., received a $196,700 Community Facilities (CF) Direct Loan and $105,800 CF grant in Fiscal Year 2022 to purchase the new fire truck.

Rescuing Rural Clarion County with New Fire Truck

New Bethlehem Fire Company Attack Unit's new fire truck did not take long to prove its worth. On Nov. 28, just after 6 p.m., the company responded to a barn fire in the furthest possible location in their service area. The barn was located on a small dirt road that prior to… [Read More]
Community Facilities
Rattazzi's Locker staff

Any way you slice it, meat lockers remain vital to rural communities

A dream was realized in 1990 when Nowell “Shorty” Hofer began construction on Shorty’s Locker and retail store on the edge of Mitchell. When Shorty passed away from cancer in 2021, he left a hole in the community and an uncertain future for the local meat locker. Devin and… [Read More]
BusinessLocal FoodsSmall Business
photo from common grounds cooperative website

Finding Common Ground: A Community Economic Development Project

Traverse City, Michigan is a rural community on the shores of lake Michigan. A city with a strong year-round recreation economy and a vibrant downtown filled with independent businesses. Many business owners have struggled to locate commercial space, as well as retain employees… [Read More]
BusinessCooperativesEconomic DevelopmentRural DevelopmentSmall Business
Cartersville Volunteer Fire Department helmet

Broadband Provides Vital Lifeline for Protecting Lives and Property in Cartersville

Volunteer fire departments are an integral part of the communities they serve, carrying on a proud tradition of neighbor helping neighbor in times of trouble. Each member is committed to maintaining readiness to respond to every call, but those working in rural communities like… [Read More]
BroadbandFirst Responders
Robert and Andrea Nickels in the Hardware Hills Vineyard tasting room.

Uncorking New Business Growth with Broadband

Hardware Hills Vineyard is located about five miles from downtown Scottsville but might well be in the middle of its namesake river when it comes to network connectivity. Owners Andrea and Rob Nickels spent their first 10 days on the property without internet and had to schedule… [Read More]
BroadbandBusinessSmall Business
State Director Julia Hnilicka smiles at local business owner Henry Krull as he bags up lettuce and explains hydroponic farming.

Green energy: photovoltaic array powers growth of Alaskan produce business

During a good year, Alaska’s outdoor growing season is three months for most lettuces and herbs, so providing greens for a community year-round is a feat in itself. Doing so sustainably is another challenge entirely! In 2018, innovator Henry Krull and his family decided to… [Read More]
BusinessEnergyLocal FoodsLocal ProduceREAPRenewable EnergyRural DevelopmentSmall BusinessSolar Energy

Stretched Thin: Volunteer First Responders get USDA Lift

The remote town of Dorothy, New Jersey, is made up of about 1,300 residents. It’s small, surrounded by miles of pineland, and traversed only by two-lane roads. It’s the kind of place where having a friendly neighbor could go a long way if you found yourself in a pinch. Lifetime… [Read More]
First Responders
Todd Spady stands next to a vehicle in his family business

Spady Buick Pontiac gets a Good Deal with REAP

Spady Buick Pontiac GMC, Inc. is a family business through and through.  Owner Todd Spady speaks fondly of learning the car business from his uncles and happily describes how his own children are involved in the business on the main throughfare in Holdrege, Nebraska. To… [Read More]
Small Business

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