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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

April Showers Bring May Flowers...and the Need for a New Roof

Barbara Cagle is an avid gardener and knows how important the early spring rains are to her flowers. This year however, the April showers threatened the safety of her home. Barbara, who lives in Tracy City, Tenn which is a persistent poverty county, knew when her roof started to… [Read More]
Home Repair
The Smith Family showing off their new home.

A Place to Call Home

New Orleans natives, Kerry and Trellis Smith, had long dreamed of purchasing a home but because of limited resources, low inventory, and the rising costs of houses in North Texas, this dream seemed out of reach. After a very exhaustive search and applying for loans with other… [Read More]
Housing
Edna Contreras became a first-time homeowner in Spring of 2020 at the age of 71. She realized that this long-time dream could become a reality with the help of USDA's Single-Family Housing Program.

It's Never Too Late

As a single mother of two children, Edna Contreras worked hard but didn't think it was possible for her to actually own her own home until she learned about USDA Rural Development.   With her children grown, Edna was living in a place where she struggled to afford… [Read More]
Homeownership
Ramos Family outside their home in Wallkill, NY.

Homeownership Essential for this Essential Worker!

   Purchasing your first home is both exciting and challenging.  But, navigating a loan closing with over $20,000 in rehabilitation work during a pandemic certainly requires persistence and support.  This was no problem for this multi-tasking essential health… [Read More]
Homeownership
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]
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]
REAPSmall Business

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]
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]
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]
Homeownership

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]
BusinessSmall Business

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