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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

Brownfield Native Continues Tradition

Megan Lopez was looking to purchase a home and raise her family in the town she grew up in. Megan had lived in a USDA Rural Development Multi-Family property in Brownfield for the last three years, but it was time to find a permanent single family home.  As Megan began her… [Read More]
Housing
Joni Evans with her partner, Gunnar Grip

Dog Saves His Human From Fire in Forks

Joni Evans of Forks, WA lost her home to a fire in June 2014.  She narrowly escaped with her life thanks to her dog, Gunnar Grip.  Gunnar woke Joni up by barking and knocking her out of her chair, with only moments to spare before the house was fully engulfed.… [Read More]
Homeownership
The Chavez Family were living in a cramped basement apartment before they were able to build their own home in Salem with nine other families. Now they can enjoy the open space provided by their new home.

Family Gains Independence with ADA Compliant Home

Elisa Chavez and her husband Martin Hernandez were living in a small basement apartment with their seven children. While living there, Martin sustained an injury from an accidental fall, requiring him to use a wheelchair. This injury made their family more aware of the need for… [Read More]
Homeownership
USDA offers loans and grants to low and very low income individuals to make repairs to their homes.

First-Time Homebuyer’s Dream Comes True with USDA Loan

June Walker, a single parent, was living in unsafe rental housing with her two special needs children. She wanted to improve her family’s living conditions. She took the first step towards homeownership by contacting the Cross Lanes Field Office of USDA Rural Development to… [Read More]
Housing

A Life-Changing Connection

As a shy, single mother of one, with one on the way, Sydney Hysell described her situation as being “… in a bad relationship, and we were living in a shack that we could have been kicked out of at any time.” She wondered if she would ever be able to have a normal life with safe… [Read More]
HomeownershipHousing
Retirees Sandra and Daniel purchased their first home in Pahrump, Nev., with an affordable USDA mortgage loan.

Life-long Caregivers Achieve Homeownership in Retirement

Throughout their careers, Sandra and Daniel cared for others. They worked at the same long-term care facility in San Francisco, Sandra as a registered nurse and Daniel as a dietician. When they retired, they decided to move to Las Vegas. “We always wanted to have… [Read More]
Housing
Amanda and her family in front of their new home

A Single Mom's Road to Homeownership

As a single mother raising two little boys in Kalispell Mont., Amanda D. wanted to purchase a home for her family. But, with a modest income and skyrocketing housing costs, this dream seemed to be out of reach. "Trying to buy a home with any traditional mortgage, it would just… [Read More]
Homeownership

Family with No Previous Building Experience Builds Self-Help Home in 8 Months, Despite Family Health Crisis

In Salem, Utah, Joseph, and Alyssa Thornton are parents of a young growing family of five and have more than their fair share of daily challenges. Despite their challenges, the Thornton’s participated in the USDA Rural Development’s Mutual Self-Help program, building their home… [Read More]
Homeownership
The Hodgdon Family stand on their front porch

Homeownership Keeps Family Close to Their Coastal Heritage

Thanks to the USDA Rural Development Single-Family Direct Housing Program, the Hodgdon family has an affordable home they love in Boothbay Harbor, a community their family has lived in for generations. Jacob Hodgdon, his fiancé Shelby, and their two children Graycin, age five,… [Read More]
Homeownership
The LaRue Family sits on the steps of their new home

Oh Baby! Homeownership Dreams Do Come True

Little eleven-month-old Katie LaRue will never remember the struggles of her family to find the perfect home in rural Maine. She will grow up with her own room and a large yard to play in. For her Mom, Monique, Dad, Jesse, and her four siblings, they will always appreciate how… [Read More]
Homeownership

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