U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development North Carolina State Director Reginald Speight recently announced a new round of investments totaling $17.6 million to support local economic development plans and projects in Rural Partners Network (RPN) communities in North Carolina.
“The Rural Partners Network has broken down barriers so underserved rural communities and
families can access the resources they need to prepare for the future,” Speight said in a press release. “Today, we’re celebrating several more examples of how aligning those resources with local blueprints for success will keep rural and Tribal communities across the country thriving for generations to come.”
One of the counties benefiting from these investments is Robeson County. In Robeson County, Lumbee River EMC will utilize a $1 million USDA Rural Economic Development Loan to assist in the expansion of the Puppy Creek Fire Department. The expansion will provide sleeping quarters for firefighters and a new ventilation area to comply with the new cancer health and safety initiative.
Nationwide USDA is awarding more than $194 million in grants and loans to support 118 projects that will help rural and Tribal communities address immediate needs and create sustainable economic growth. Projects will lower costs for families, create jobs and grow businesses in rural areas that have been a bedrock of the country’s economic success for decades despite high rates of poverty and lack of opportunities in their own communities.
The Biden-Harris Administration launched RPN in April 2022 to ensure people in historically underserved rural and Tribal communities receive their fair share of funding from federal agencies. Since its inception, federal agencies have invested over $8.5 billion across the 36 RPN community networks.
For more information on RPN, visit Rural.gov.
The US Army Special Forces (SF), known as Green Berets because they are awarded a green beret to wear following the rigorous selection and training process, are specialized military units trained to conduct special operations. Photo provided by the G
Fuel to Serve will go “beyond the dining hall,” using food and shared meals as trusted entry points to link families with a broader network of resources. Photo courtesy of USAA.USAA and the Robert Irvine Foundation recently announced Fuel to Serve. T
Yes, those are decorations currently in my home. Yes, I may have spent more money than average for two oversized mums that are taking up way too much space on my porch, and yes, I may have stood my ground in a Lowe’s hardware store arguing with my hu
