Washburn home funded by Stimulus funds

    WASHBURN – Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel recently congratulated Jeremy Poulin and Jacquelyn Raymond on their new home which was provided through USDA Rural Development with the use of American Recovery and Reinvestment funds.
    In the last 12 months Rural Development has financed over 3,000 homes in Maine through their direct and guaranteed housing programs totaling more than $420,000,000.  More than $180,000,000 of these funds was from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) or stimulus funding which provided over 1,300 new homes for Maine families.
    Poulin and Raymond are thrilled to have found the home of their dreams for less than they were previously paying in rent, Manuel said. “We are delighted that representatives from the entire Maine Congressional Delegation, the Aroostook County Action Program, Key Realty and REMAX were present to help us celebrate this event with Jeremy and Jacqueline,” she said.
    Manuel also awarded The Aroostook County Action Program this year’s partnership award. Rural Development and the Aroostook County Action Program have shared the same vision of educating homebuyers and assisting low income households for essential repairs for over 10 years.
    USDA Rural Development has Area Offices located in Presque Isle, Bangor, Lewiston and Scarborough, as well as a state office, located in Bangor. There are 83 employees working to deliver the agency’s housing, business, and community programs, which are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, and farmers, and improve the quality of life in rural Maine. In Fiscal Year 2009, USDA Rural Development invested over $420 million in the state of Maine.
    Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office.