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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: 767 Stories
Man and child standing under corn hung to dry

USDA Grants Help Farmer Care for Apple Orchards, Maintain Blue Corn Lineages

After traveling down a long, narrow dirt road in Dixon, New Mexico, I eventually came to the production area for La Mesa Farms. There, more than 5,000 beautiful ears of blue corn were hung up to dry for the winter. They would soon be taken down, and the corn removed from the cob… [Read More]
REAPSmall BusinessValue Added
God's Pantry Food Bank Mobile Pantry Program

Rural health care grant helps God’s Pantry Food Bank expand food delivery program

Food insecurity in rural Kentucky, depending on who you ask, is somewhere around 15 percent. That means about one out of every six households does not have access to affordable nutritious food, putting them at increased risk for conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease,… [Read More]
Food SupplyHealth Care
USDA-RD-REAP-G8-Farms-LLC

Sprucing Up the House, Poultry Houses That Is

G8 Farms, LLC, a woman-owned poultry growing operation in the rural landscape of Angelina County, Texas, is making strides towards a more sustainable and efficient future. With two breeder/layer houses comprising its facility, the farm is dedicated to poultry breeding and egg… [Read More]
REAP
USDA-RD-REAP-Superior-Metal-Framing-Systems

Building on Sturdy Foundations

Superior Metal Framing Systems, LLC, a family-owned small business of rural Williamson County, boasts over twenty-five years of experience in designing and fabricating steel building components. With a steadfast commitment to quality and a motto of “Building on Sturdy… [Read More]
REAP
Comanche County

USDA Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan is Transforming Rural Healthcare

In the rolling hills of Comanche County, Legacy Estate Long Term Care stands as a beacon of hope and innovation in rural healthcare. A not-for-profit care center owned by Comanche County Consolidated Hospital District (CCCHD), and led by CEO Nikki Stark and Misty Hill, the… [Read More]
Community FacilitiesInfrastructure
Woman standing in front of Sagebrush Inn sign

Rural Development Loan Guarantee Helps Hotel Stay in Business

If you happen to look for hotels in Taos, New Mexico, you might come across the historic Sagebrush Inn. The hotel opened over 90 years ago and includes a variety of historic rooms with fireplaces as well as some more modern updated ones. “This hotel brings a sense of community… [Read More]
Business
Aerial view of the Great Valley Farm Brewery and Winery

A Scenic View to Viticulture Success in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley

While many factors go into selecting the best site for a new business, the view was at the top of the list for Nathan and Irma Bailey. The couple was leaving corporate jobs to start a vineyard and brewery, so scenic vistas were important. “We were looking for some place in the… [Read More]
Value Added
Saint Peter Fire Hall Aerial

City of Saint Peter Celebrates Success of New Fire Station

The city of Saint Peter had planned to replace its fire hall for nearly ten years. Since the mid-1950s, the town housed its fire department in an old maintenance shop, but the small, repurposed space was no longer adequate.  As the city grew, the fire department was faced… [Read More]
Community Facilities
A Move to Texas

A Move to Texas as 'House-Sitters' Results in First-Time Home Ownership

Bradley and Janna Lanphear, along with their four children, found themselves facing uncertainty when unforeseen circumstances forced them out of their long-time rental in Bend, Oregon. With rental prices skyrocketing in their area, the dream of homeownership seemed increasingly… [Read More]
Housing
Stretching Critical Repair Dollars 2

Stretching Critical Home Repair Dollars

Neighborhood Strong is a community-based organizations serving nine East Texas Counties. They provide critical home repairs and accessibility modifications to low and very low-income homeowners. Over 57% of the homes in this area are over 40 years old. The poverty rate is just… [Read More]
Housing

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