Just ask eighty-six year old Rita Fincher in Park Hills, Missouri and she will tell you it is never too late to start a new beginning.
After raising ten children in a mobile home, her current dwelling was literally falling in around her when her children and grand children came to the rescue. One of the grandsons was in the real estate business and learned of a vacant home that had been foreclosed and owned by a local bank. With the help of the USDA Rural Development direct home loan program she applied through the Farmington, Missouri office and was determined eligible. The house was structurally sound but needed lots of tender loving care. With some financial help from the local bank and USDA Rural Development, her family, church friends, and neighbors made the needed repairs and improvements.
“Even though it needed lots of work, I knew from the beginning that the house would be perfect for me,” said Ms. Fincher, “I am so thankful for the help from everyone – my family, my friends and the staff at Rural Development. I am truly blessed!”
“This is one of the most heartwarming days I have ever experienced,” said Anita J. (Janie) Dunning, Missouri State Director. “The love and joy I witnessed during my visit with Rita, her family and her friends was overwhelming. It will be a special day to remember!” A personalized doormat and a certificate were presented to Rita in honor of her achievement of reaching the American dream of homeownership.