Summer Sunshine Award Winners!

From the USDA:

Posted by Sarah Stever, Program Specialist, Food and Nutrition Service, Western Region, on January 23, 2015 at 10:00 AM

On June 13, 2013, FNS staff participated in a Summer Food Service Program Kick-off event in Sacramento, CA.

It may be the middle of winter, but at USDA, we like to celebrate the success of our Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) all year long.  Therefore, the Western Regional Office is thrilled to announce the winners and honorable mentions of the 2014 Summer Sunshine Awards.  A total of eight organizations across the region received Sunshine Awards in 4 unique categories in recognition of their standout efforts in operating the SFSP.  The programs impact in local communities depends on the hard work of state agencies, partnering organizations, local sites and sponsors.  These awards only begin to show our appreciation for the dedication, innovation, and passion behind the respective organizations.

In the category of Strategies to Promote Nutrition and Wellness, California’s Riverside Unified School District was awarded the honor for employing innovative strategies by collaborating with local partners to provide nutrition education and physical activities at summer meal sites. The Boys and Girls Club of Ada County in Idaho was also awarded the distinction for their incorporation of fresh local produce into summer meals and offering opportunities for physical activity to children at their summer meal sites.

Two deserving winners of the Reaching Rural and Underserved Communities award emphasize the importance of thinking outside the box to provide nutrition to more children in the summer time.  Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission of California expanded their summer meals program to seven rural communities by partnering with USDA’s Rural Development.  In Washington, Entiat Valley Community Services Food Bank was awarded the distinction for their innovative approach to opening sites in areas of high need, conducting massive media campaigns, and networking with various community partners to ensure meals were delivered to sites in rural areas.

In the category of Successful Community Partnerships, the Des Moines Area Food Bank of Washington was chosen as a recipient for their successful community partnerships resulting in a variety of physical activity and nutrition education workshops at summer meal sites.  An Above and Beyond Honorable Mention was awarded to Auburn Unified School District for expanding community partnerships and providing physical activity and nutrition education classes every day of the week at summer meal sites.

For Program Expansion in Local Communities, the award recipient was the Boys and Girls Club of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, for their efforts in expanding summer meal sites in the community by collaborating with local partners to make meals available for the children of Sequim and Port Angeles.  Nye County Unified School District of Nevada received an honorable mention for their innovative mobile feeding program using the school “mail” van to deliver meals and traveled with a local “book mobile” to increase summer reading and engage children while eating.

Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions and a huge thank you from all of us at FNS for the delicious meals and engaging programs you provide to children during the summer months.  We look forward to more successes and best practices from each and every Summer Sunshine awardee during summer 2015!



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2014 in Review: New Farm Bill Allows Kansas Family to Purchase Home

From USDA:

Posted by Kansas Rural Development State Director Patty Clark, on December 29, 2014 at 3:30 PM

Megan Estrada and her children enjoy a swing on the porch of their new home financed by a USDA Rural Development home loan guarantee.

2014 will soon be in our collective rear view mirrors, and USDA Rural Development has had an incredibly productive year. This week we are looking back on stories from the year that illustrate the impact our programs have on rural communities. Here’s a story out of our Kansas State Office from June.

Megan Estrada and her three children are excited to spend time on their new home’s porch – a home they just moved into this summer. Prior to purchasing their own home, Estrada and her children had spent the last nine years in an apartment in Dodge City, Kansas.

Estrada tried to buy a home four years ago, but with no solid credit history was unable to secure a loan through conventional home financing. For the next four years Estrada built up her credit, then in May of this year she heard that USDA would be offering home loans in Dodge City and called her banker to see how to apply.

With the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill, Dodge City became eligible for USDA Housing Programs. The Farm Bill contained language that changed the definition of a rural area for USDA’s Housing Program; the new definition allowed areas with populations of up to 35,000 that are rural in character to be eligible for USDA Housing Programs – which made Dodge City eligible.

In June, Estrada was the first Dodge City resident to purchase a home by utilizing USDA’s Guaranteed Rural Housing Program. Landmark National Bank provided the loan on Estrada’s three-bedroom home, which is guaranteed by USDA Rural Development.

“I am prepared to accept the responsibility of homeownership, and am looking forward to it,” said Estrada. “The kids enjoy having a backyard to play in, and I like allowing them to play outside where I know they are safe.”

Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has helped more than 11,000 Kansas residents purchase a home.

As the new year begins, we in Rural Development look forward to a productive 2015 and the continued opportunity to promote, develop, and support the way of life in the rural communities that support agriculture across our nation.

Secretary's Column: 2014, a Year of Action, Partnership and Innovation at USDA

From USDA:

Posted by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, on December 22, 2014 at 12:00 PM

This has been a tremendous year for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the rural families and communities we serve. Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden recently shared a reflection on her most inspirational moments this year. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished at USDA over the course of this year, and I thought I’d take a moment to share just a few of our top accomplishments.

1. Led what was widely called “the most successful Farm Bill implementation.”
   

   Farm Bill graphic.
   After the passage of the Farm Bill early this year, USDA pressed ahead at full speed to implement its programs and provisions, which have benefited America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. You can track our progress at www.usda.gov/farmbill.
2. Helped 146,000 rural Americans become first-time home buyers.
   

   Family behind a house.
   USDA has helped thousands of rural Americans achieve the dream of home ownership, and helped countless more make critical repairs and upgrades to their homes. Learn more at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
3. Achieved a record $152.5 billion in farm and ranch exports that supported 1 million jobs here at home.
   

   A ship at dock.
   America’s farmers and ranchers achieved record exports yet again this year, supported by Administration programs focused on opening markets abroad and connecting potential exporters here at home with the resources they need to get into the business of exporting. This year, we also launched the Made in Rural America initiative, an effort to help rural businesses export non-farm products made in rural communities.
4. Launched new initiatives that take public-private partnership to the next level in rural America.
    
   

   A man with a NRCS employee.
   Over the course of 2014, USDA launched several new initiatives, including the $10 billion Rural Infrastructure Opportunity fund, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, and the $150 million Rural Business Investment Company, that leverage funding from private sector investors to build on USDA’s own investments in conservation, infrastructure, and small businesses, and expand opportunity in rural communities. Learn more at www.usda.gov/opportunity.
5. Served more than 187 million summer meals to low-income kids, an increase of more than 14 percent since 2009.
   

   A smiling girl with orange glasses at lunch.
   During the summer months, USDA’s summer meals help make sure that kids get the nutrition they need even when school is not in session. With strong support from local partners, we’ve reached a record number of kids and ensured that they begin the next school year healthy and ready to learn. Learn more at www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp.
6. Filed 109 patent applications for innovative products and techniques developed by USDA researchers.
   

   Secretary Vilsack looking into a microscope.
   Groundbreaking research conducted by USDA scientists ends up on your plate, in your home and as the clothes on your back. Their discoveries in the lab translate into science you can see. And thanks to the new Farm Bill, USDA was able to establish the new Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, which will leverage public and private resources to further boost agricultural research. For more stories on how USDA research impacts your everyday life, visit blogs.usda.gov/category/science.

The list above is just a small snapshot—after all, it’s hard to choose just a few success stories from a year where we moved more than $4.3 billion in critical disaster assistance to thousands of producers; answered nearly 1.3 million questions to help consumers stay food safe; made 340 investments in local food infrastructure and launched a series of new web directories designed to connect consumers with farmers markets, on-farm markets, CSAs and food hubs; provided more than 3,500 microloans to help beginning and veteran farmers grow their businesses; and lessened the threat of wildfires to communities by treating 1.7 million acres of forest land. This has truly been a year of action, partnership and innovation at USDA, and I know that as we look ahead to 2015, USDA will continue to focus on making a positive impact in rural communities.

The Future is Here ... and it's Made of Wood

From USDA:

Posted by Dave Atkins, Cooperative Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, on December 17, 2014 at 10:00 AM

The Federal Center South in Seattle makes extensive use of wood. (Federal Center South – Building 1202; ZGA Architects; photo Benjamin Benschneider, WoodWorks 2014 Commercial Wood Design Award). Used with permission.

It’s a good time for building with wood products. More architects and contractors are returning to this renewable, sturdy, all-purpose material after decades of what some might consider an undue reliance on concrete and steel.

In furthering that message, I was pleased to join WoodWorks, a nonprofit organization supported by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Forest Service, to host more than 350 architects and builders this year at the Wood Solutions Fair in the District of Columbia.

The fair promoted the use of wood in commercial buildings in helping maintain sustainable forest management, addressing wildfires, droughts, extreme storms and insect epidemics. Wood buildings store tremendous amounts of carbon and reduce the fossil energy needed for construction over alternatives like concrete, steel and aluminum.

The Forest Service and WoodWorks are also promoting the growing use of Cross Laminated Timber, a building product that can facilitate making highrise structures with wood. The Forest Service, USDA Rural Development and the Softwood Lumber Board are providing $2 million to incentivize the construction of the first highrise in the U.S. made with wood.

In the second quarter of this year, WoodWorks was able to influence and convert 88 projects currently under production. That translates into $33 million in incremental lumber sales, which represents 65 million board feet of lumber. This progress is good news for America’s environment but also good for America’s timber industry. The use of forest products in the United States currently supports more than 1 million direct jobs, particularly in rural areas, and contributes more than $100 billion to the country’s gross domestic product.

Three years ago, the authors of the Forest Service study Science Supporting the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Using Wood and Wood Products in Green Building Construction, reviewed the scientific literature and found that using wood in building products yields fewer greenhouse gases than using other common materials.

“In the Rockies alone, we have hundreds of thousands of dead trees killed by bark beetles that could find their way into the building supply chain for all types of buildings,” Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said at the time. “Taking a harder look at wood as a green building source could reduce the damages posed by future fires, maintain overall forest health and provide much-needed jobs in local communities.”

Building with wood is poised to be the next big thing in green construction. The Forest Service is working diligently to help make that possibility a reality. I think we can say with confidence that the future, indeed, is made of wood.

USDA and Habitat for Humanity to Build Homes and Ladders of Opportunity

From USDA:

Posted by Thomas Williams, USDA Rural Development State Director, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 2014 at 1:00 PM

USDA Rural Development Pennsylvania State Director Thomas Williams helped future homeowner Judy Aguero put the first nails into the doorway of her new home.

On a blustery cold November morning, it was heartwarming to help Judy Aguero put the first nails into the doorway of her new home. Ms. Aguero, a single mom, was born in New York City and moved to Pennsylvania when she was 15 years old. When her mother was deported back to Santo Domingo, Judy lived with members of her church. By 19, she was expecting a child and living at a homeless shelter. Overcoming all odds, Judy was determined to make a better life for herself and her child. She is currently employed as a Certified Nursing Assistant and is working on an associate’s degree in social work. Through York Habitat for Humanity, she will be moving into a new three bedroom, one bath two-story duplex in the spring of 2015 with her daughter, Yudelka.

USDA Rural Development’s Pennsylvania housing staff recently met with York Habitat for Humanity (York Habitat) to partner our resources to help bring homeownership to reality for rural Pennsylvanians. York Habitat will be working as a packager to help hardworking potential homeowners like Judy complete applications for the USDA 502 Direct Home Loan Program.  Through the program, direct homeownership loans are available to lower income individuals and families. Payments are based on income, with no down payment required. It’s just another way Rural Development is creating ladders of opportunity to help people have the tools they need to climb into the middle class.

Last Fiscal Year, Rural Development assisted over 120 low income home buyers realize the dream of homeownership in rural Pennsylvania. Through this program, USDA is investing in the linchpin of what makes a strong community: safe, affordable housing where families can raise the next generation of rural Americans.

USDA Rural Development State Director Thomas Williams assists York Habitat for Humanity volunteers as they lift trusses for Judy Aguero’s new home.

Secretary's Column: USDA Partners with Native Americans

From USDA:

Posted by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, on December 5, 2014 at 3:00 PM

Shortly after taking office, I joined other Cabinet officials on a visit to rural Southwest Alaska. We met with Alaska Native leaders and heard firsthand the difficulties facing Native Americans living in small communities in remote, rural areas. Since that time, this administration has worked each day to provide Native Americans with improved housing, better educational opportunities, clean water and sanitation, and the opportunity to create good jobs. Across government, and here at USDA, we’ve made progress.

This past week, I joined President Obama and members of the Cabinet at the sixth White House Tribal Nations Conference here in Washington, DC. In addition to serving as the Chair of the White House Rural Council, I am also a member of the White House Council on Native American Affairs, chaired by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. Our priorities in Indian Country include promoting sustainable economic development; supporting greater access to and control over healthcare; improving the effectiveness and efficiency of tribal justice systems; expanding and improving educational opportunities for Native American youth; and protecting and supporting the sustainable management of Native lands, environments and natural resources.

The Obama Administration has been committed to increasing tribal self-governance and self-determination, making it possible for tribes to develop resources and improve infrastructure on their lands, and also create employment and business opportunities for Native American families, including veterans and youth.

As part of this effort, I recently announced $9.7 million in grants to 62 community-based and non-profit organizations, and educational institutions to conduct training, outreach and technical assistance for socially disadvantaged, veteran, and tribal farmers and ranchers. A dozen of those grants will support tribes. Additionally, we are providing loans and grants totaling $4.1 million to 1994 Land Grant Tribal Colleges through USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Programs. These programs provide funds to construct, enlarge or improve community facilities for healthcare, public safety and public services.

USDA will also support partnerships with three tribal colleges (Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, S.D.; Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, N.M.; United Tribes Technical College, Bismarck, N.D.) by providing grant writing assistance and other services to help traditionally underserved communities access federal resources. We are also providing a $5.4 million loan to upgrade broadband service for residents of New Mexico’s Mescalero Apache Reservation. This is the first telecommunications loan USDA has made under the Substantially Underserved Trust Area (SUTA) provision of the 2008 Farm Bill.

As we enter 2015, we will continue to work with tribes on a government-to-government basis, consulting and collaborating with them, and striving to ensure that they receive their fair share of support from USDA programs—support that not only provides jobs and educational opportunity, but also honors our promises and treaty responsibilities.

Farm Bill Listening Session: New and Expanding Opportunities for the Organic Industry

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Anne L. Alonzo, Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator, on April 18, 2014 at 1:00 PM

Steve Etka with the National Organic Coalition provides input during the listening session. The session gave USDA the opportunity to hear from stakeholders about their priorities during the implementation process and the impact that the new provisions will have on their communities.

Organic agriculture serves as an engine for rural development, representing a $35 billion industry in the United States alone. USDA is committed to protecting the integrity of organic products, and ensuring that all of our agencies work together to help the organic sector continue to grow.

Members of the organic community are important partners in these efforts. As Administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which includes the National Organic Program, I have had the privilege of getting to know our organic stakeholders – visiting their farms and talking to them about their priorities – and I have been very impressed. Thanks to the recently passed Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill), USDA is now even better equipped to support the success of organic operations.

Just this week, USDA hosted a stakeholder listening session on the organic provisions of the Farm Bill. The session gave us the opportunity to hear from stakeholders about their priorities during the implementation process and the impact that the new provisions will have on their communities. We had a great turnout with over 80 participants, ranging from researchers to consumers.

At the listening session, representatives from ERS, NASS, RMA, FSA, NRCS, NIFA, and AMS, as well as the Office of the Secretary, gave an overview of the new provisions and our implementation plans before opening the session to participants.  We got some great feedback with a common theme – the importance of communication, outreach, and strategic partnerships.  Stakeholders also noted the benefits of interagency coordination and urged USDA to continue supporting the Organic Working Group which is led by Mark Lipson.

Many stakeholders were excited about the Farm Bill’s expanded funding for the Organic Certification Cost-Share Programs, which help organic producers and handlers cover the cost of organic certification, making organic certification more accessible to small producers.  Listening session participants also emphasized that for the program to be successful, USDA needs to educate the organic community about the opportunity for assistance and partner with stakeholders to get the word out – we couldn’t agree more!

We also heard from stakeholders about the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI).  They were thrilled that the Farm Bill provides additional research grant funds to address issues that affect organic production, and they again asked that we conduct outreach and training on this program.

This exciting Farm Bill provision will allow USDA to expand and improve on our economic and market data about organic agriculture. Some participants asked that we conduct more organic production surveys. USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) reported that more frequent production data is in the works, and that the agency hopes to provide annual updates thanks to a partnership with USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).  Stakeholders were especially appreciative of the collaboration between AMS, ERS, NASS, and the Risk Management Agency to provide additional price elections that will improve crop insurance options available to organic growers.

As we work to efficiently and effectively implement all of the new programs and policies, we will keep reaching out to our stakeholders and encouraging partnerships.  In the cases where we need to do notice and public comment, I hope you’ll all pay close attention and give us your constructive thoughts on how we can all work together to support organic agriculture.

Iowa Veteran, Farmer and Local-Foods Advocate Recognized by White House as a "Champion of Change"

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Bill Menner, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa, on April 10, 2014 at 11:45 AM

Sonia Kendrick of Cedar Rapids, IA. Leader. Veteran. Champion of Change.

Sonia Kendrick, who founded Feed Iowa First, a non-profit organization in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was among a small group of local leaders across the nation recognized by the White House recently as “Women Veteran Leader Champions of Change.” The event on March 25 honored women veterans, highlighting their incredible contributions to the country’s business, public and community-service sectors.

Kendrick served in Afghanistan and upon her return was drawn to fighting hunger issues in Iowa through locally-grown food.  By identifying available land around churches and other sites in the Cedar Rapids area and securing access to it, she and other volunteers have grown, harvested and donated thousands of pounds of fresh produce to local food pantries and the Meals on Wheels program.

Working closely with USDA Farm Service Agency Iowa State Executive Director John Whitaker and others, Kendrick has created a platform that not only provides access to fresh, health and locally-grown food but creates an opportunity for returning veterans.  She has found a great interest in farming among her fellow veterans and engagement with Feed Iowa First is providing experiences that may lead them to a relationship with USDA.

“Through Feed Iowa First, Kendrick has offered other veterans and refugees the opportunity to gain valuable farming knowledge which will help them be successful in their future farming operations,” Whitaker said. “Sonia has played an integral role in educating new farmers about the many FSA loan programs designed to assist them to get started on their own.”

Kendrick works tirelessly to build partnerships, find new alliances, and spread her vision for veterans helping to feed the hungry.  She is active in the Iowa Farmer Veteran Coalition and serves as a liaison between that organization and veterans looking at a future in agriculture.

Kendrick estimates it will take 500 acres to provide adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables to the 25,000 people hungry in Linn County in eastern Iowa. Her research indicates 800 acres of underutilized land is owned by churches in Cedar Rapids, Marion and Hiawatha alone.

“What Feed Iowa First is doing in rural and urban areas is really taking off,” Whitaker added. “Just look around at the explosion of farmers markets, the explosion of local and regional food systems and the number of folks who want that type of food.”

Kendrick is the first to admit farming is hard work. She believes that if anyone has farming in their heart, that doors should be open to allow them to farm.

Indeed, new doors are opening thanks to Feed Iowa First.

USDA Rural Development Supports New York Water Quality Improvement Effort

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Lee Telega, USDA Rural Development New York State Director, on September 6, 2013 at 10:40 AM

Water Quality Agreement: From left, Liz Van Buren, Saputo Dairy Foods; Richard Maxey, Delhi mayor; James Thompson, Delaware County; SUNY Delhi President Candace Vancko and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. USDA Photo.

Late last month, I had the privilege of joining New York U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Delhi College President Candace Vancko, Chairman James Thomson of Delaware County and Saputo Dairy Foods USA Manager Liz Van Buren to discuss the Center of Excellence in Watershed Applications and Technology Based Economic Revitalization (COE in WATER) Initiative.

The COE in WATER is an innovative partnership with the State University of New York (SUNY), the local business community as well as federal, state and local governments who are committed to stimulating economic development and creating jobs in rural upstate NY.

While I was there, I was able to share the good news that USDA Rural Development received authorization to assist in administering a nearly $2 million Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant through the Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) program. This project will transfer post process municipal wastewater from the Village of Delhi Wastewater Treatment Plant into retention ponds for storage on the SUNY Dehli.  The water will then be utilized to irrigate college green space.  Utilizing the waste water in this manner allows the treatment plant to accept other sources of waste.  A local dairy processing plant and two other manufacturers in the village will now pursue expansion plans with the knowledge their increased waste streams can be handled by the village’s wastewater treatment plant. It is estimated the expanded businesses will create new jobs in the area.

Delhi is located in the sensitive watershed that provides drinking water to 12 million people of New York City and the metro area.  This partnership between the college and local community and economic interests not only protects such a valuable resource, but allows for business growth and opportunity in this rural part of upstate New York.

To learn more about this and other projects, please visit http://www.delhi.edu/community/coe/. To learn more about USDA Rural Development programs in NY please log on to: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/NYHome.html.

Thanks to USDA, Rural Arkansas Residents and Businesses Have Safer Water

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USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Denise Scott, USDA Rural Development, on September 5, 2013 at 12:50 PM

Administrator Padalino speaking at the Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority Treatment Plant in Arkansas. The opening marked completion of the 500th water and environmental project completed by USDA through the Recovery Act. USDA photo.

USDA Rural Utilities Service Administrator John Padalino recently visited the 500th water and wastewater project funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “The Recovery Act has brought improved water and wastewater services to nearly 1.7 million rural residents,” said the Administrator.

Administrator Padalino made his remarks at the Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority Treatment Plant in Arkansas.

Most people in the U.S. take for granted the fact that safe drinking water is readily available for use by simply turning on a tap, or pushing a button on a fountain.  However, many rural communities within the U.S. must deal with negative impacts associated with contaminated water sources at their homes and schools.

In fact, since the 1980’s there have been efforts to bring safe drinking water to Boone, Newton, and Searcy counties in Arkansas.  Groundwater in this region is often contaminated with naturally occurring random, radium, and fluoride, which water systems must address.   Contaminated ground water is unsafe and unfit for humans to use USDA funding for the Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority system is used to provide clean, safe water for over 20,000 residents and businesses.

In addition to the USDA funding, the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission provided nearly $10 million for the project. Programs like the one which funded the Treatment Plant would not be available without a Food, Farm and Jobs Bill.

Rural areas need safe and reliable water for the health of their communities and sustainable economic growth. Since the start of the Obama Administration, USDA has invested more than $218 million, in over 100 water and wastewater programs in rural Arkansas alone.

To find out more about how USDA water and environmental programs can assist your community click here.

CDFI - Important Part of Infrastructure

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Tammi Schone, USDA Rural Development, South Dakota, on August 28, 2013 at 5:00 PM

The 8th Annual Governor’s Native American Summit was held last week at Utah Valley University in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Utah’s Rural Development State Director Wilson “David” Conine wanted to share with attendees the importance a community development financial institution (CDFI) can play in tribal development.  He turned to his counterpart, South Dakota Rural Development State Director Elsie M. Meeks who has over 20 years of experience working for Native community economic development.

Meeks recognized CDFI as an important part of the infrastructure for delivering consistent funding for housing and small business development activities that benefit low and moderate income people.  They combine multiple sources of public and private capital in order to make loans and investments available in ways tailored to the particular underserved geographies and types of businesses or borrowers.  Developing capacity among these types of organizations can increase utilization of USDA programs in a region, many of which provide long-term below-market capital for permanent improvements in rural areas.

A successful example from South Dakota includes The Lakota Fund.  A certified Native CDFI established in 1986 that serves the Oglala Lakota Oyate on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Its products and services include microloans, small business loans, business loans, credit builder loans, training, and technical assistance.  Sources of funding from Rural Development include rural business opportunity grants (RBOG), rural business enterprise grants (RBEG), Intermediary Relending Program (IRP), and rural microentrepreneur assistance program (RMAP).

The keynote speaker for the event was Governor Gary Herbert and Meeks was a guest speaker. The Governor’s Native American Summit provides a forum for Utah’s American Indian population to network with state agencies and other organizations, and more importantly, a chance to strengthen relationships with the eight Sovereign Tribal Nations of Utah.

USDA Partners with a Michigan Town to Improve Quality of Health Care

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USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Alec Lloyd, Michigan Rural Development Public Information Coordinator, on August 23, 2013 at 3:00 PM

Michigan U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow speaks at the ground-breaking for the new USDA-supported Cassopolis Family Clinic. USDA photo.

Cassopolis, located in southwest Michigan, recently celebrated the ground-breaking for the new USDA Rural Development supported Cassopolis Family Clinic.  Like many rural communities, Cassopolis has limited facilities for health care, particularly for low-income residents.  The Cassopolis Family Clinic was founded more than 50 years ago to serve the surrounding community and the facility will bring that service into the future.

USDA Rural Development was represented at the event by Paw Paw Sub-Area Office Team Leader Lisa Epple, who was joined by local leaders and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow.

“This is an excellent example of how USDA Rural Development is working with partner agencies to improve access to health care for Michigan residents,” Epple said.  The agency is providing a Community Facilities direct loan to fund the project which is being combined with a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

“Today’s groundbreaking is welcome news for families in Cassopolis and across Cass County,” said Stabenow, chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.  “For almost 50 years, the Family Clinic has served as the family doctor for so many residents in need of basic medical care. I am pleased that this brand new clinic will provide physical, mental, and dental health services to thousands of additional patients for years to come.”

For rural areas, a local clinic can mean the difference between a lengthy drive to the emergency room and timely care.  By partnering with the Cassopolis Family Clinic and HRSA, USDA Rural Development is helping to keep quality health care close to home.

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow (sixth from left) joins officials in breaking ground for a new health care facility funded in part by USDA. USDA photo.

Innovative Education and Public Safety through USDA Funding

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USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Dawn Bonsell, Pennsylvania Public Affairs Specialist, on August 22, 2013 at 2:45 PM

Bear Creek Community Charter School in Bear Creek Township recently received USDA Rural Development Community Facility Loan funding to construct a new charter school to provide innovative education opportunities for K-8th grade. Photo is an interior architectural rendering of the central commons courtesy of Hemmler and Camayd Architects. USDA photo.

Bear Creek Community Charter School has a history dating back to Civil War Brigadier General Paul Ambrose Oliver whose heirs donated the land for the school in 1929.  The original Oliver School was a traditional one-room school house, constructed as a project of the Works Progress Administration (instituted by presidential executive order under the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of April 1935, to generate public jobs for the unemployed).

Currently, Bear Creek Community Charter School operates out of the original school and additional outdated school buildings along a busy highway. Intended for an enrollment of 240, the expanding school now has an enrollment of over 400 with a waiting list of over 100. USDA Rural Development recently announced Community Facilities Program Loan funding of almost $12 million for the construction of a new two-story 63,000 sq. ft. public charter school building. The new school will meet the demand for innovative educational opportunities, including environmental education. Ecology and environmental science is woven into the academic fabric of the school, and each student receives dedicated instructional time specific for environmental education. Students engage in hands-on learning opportunities, participate in field-work (work outdoors), and actively participate in school-wide environmental leadership opportunities. Located on a 97-acre tract, the preliminary plans for the school grounds include an outdoor classroom, interpretive trail, rain gardens, educational stations, and soccer and softball fields. Construction is expected to be completed by the summer of 2015.

(center) Thomas Williams, USDA Rural Development Pennsylvania State Director; Michael Lombardo, Pittston City Councilman; Bob Morgan, District Director, Congressman Matthew A. Cartwright’s office; Joe Moskovitz, Pittston City Administrator and youth from the Pittston Perspective Church proudly pose with the new Pittston City police vehicle. USDA Photo.

In addition to the new school funding in Luzerne County, USDA also recently granted funds for the purchase of a K-9 police vehicle in Pittston City through the Community Facilities Grant Program. The newly purchased police vehicle is equipped with a harness to transport a K-9 who is currently in training.

The projects provide a significant benefit to rural Luzerne County. The school is providing innovative educational opportunities for young families and the police vehicle is addressing public safety in a city that is in the midst of a downtown revitalization project.

Officials who attended the recent funding announcement at the existing Bear Creek Community Charter School included (L to R) Bill Goldsworthy, Assistant Director, PA Governor Thomas Corbett’s Northeast Regional Office; Walter Mitchell, Mayor, Bear Creek Village Borough; William Harner, Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Education; Gia Stoddard, Bear Creek Community Charter School Student; Thomas Williams, USDA Rural Development Pennsylvania State Director; Congressman Matthew A. Cartwright; Jim Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Bear Creek Community Charter School. USDA photo.

South Dakota Statewide Native Homeownership Coalition on the Horizon

USDA Blog:

Posted by Christine Sorensen, USDA Rural Development Coordinator, on July 18, 2013 at 1:05 PM

Federal, State, and Tribal partners work on a solution to bring safe, affordable housing to South Dakota’s tribal areas. USDA photo.

South Dakota USDA Rural Development, Governor’s Office of Economic Development, South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA), and the Great Plains Native Asset Building Coalition convened a vital meeting of stakeholders recently to gain input on the creation of a statewide coalition to support and promote homeownership in South Dakota Native communities.

Six of the nine Indian reservations in South Dakota, including representatives of six Indian housing authorities participated in the session, as well as Nathan Sanderson of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.  In addition to USDA Rural Development, federal stakeholders included the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and Indian Health Service. About 50 people gathered for a daylong working session to provide critical impute on the goals and priorities of a proposed coalition.

“This meeting was a historic first step towards collectively working towards increased homeownership opportunities in Indian country,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Elsie Meeks.  “A coalition could support the partners on the ground, housing authorities, state, federal and tribal governments; all working towards not only homeownership but wealth building within Tribal communities”.

The session began with introductions and supporting comments from the State of South Dakota Secretary of Tribal Relations, J. R. LaPlante that expressed his support for the meeting to further the dialogue on tribal housing in South Dakota.  Mark Lauseng, SDHDA Executive Director, hosted and was on the planning committee for the session, “A coalition and the partnerships that it could create will be a vehicle for needed resources and support systems across the state.”

An electronic survey was conducted prior to the meeting and the results showed that the most effective avenues for homeownership preparation are to provide credit counseling and financial/homebuyer education.  Many times it is the local Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that is the integral service provider located within the community.  Tawney Brunsch, Lakota Funds Executive Director andGreat Plains Native Asset Building Coalition leader, supports the homeownership coalition stating, “Asset development and financial literacy are necessary tools on the journey to homeownership.”

With the full support of key stakeholders across the state, a homeownership coalition is on the horizon.  Priorities to engage tribal leaders, develop statewide goals, conduct policy advocacy and peer networking and provide a clearing house for resources and services; the coalition will move the dream of homeownership on Native lands to reality.

USDA recently included South Dakota as a StrikeForce state and the StrikeForce economic development goals for the state include increased and focused support and outreach on Tribal lands by USDA Rural Development, Natural Resource Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency.

    

Tags: Elsie Meeks, FSA, homeownership, HUD, Indian Health Service, NRCS, RD, South Dakota, South Dakota Housing Development Authority, Strikeforce, Tribal, Veterans Affairs

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