In June 2026, Theo Cornish and his family can now safely, comfortably, and confidently move into and throughout their home after the completion of a ramp project on their property on Tucker Street.

The ramp build, one of CCI’s Self-Help Purchase & Rehabilitation Projects, allows homeowners to add essential accessibility or safety features to their home while also contributing volunteer hours and ‘sweat equity.’

As part of National Homeownership Month, officials from USDA Rural Development stopped by to celebrate this milestone with the family and highlight how the program works: once a participant closes on a home, they become eligible for repair assistance. For Theo and his family, that journey began when they closed on their home in August 2025.

“This is why we get up in the morning,” said John Butera, Maine State Director for USDA Rural Development.

“We invest in rural communities and that covers everything from water, sewer, police stations, fire stations, businesses and of course home ownership…the 502 (lending) program really tries to reach a segment of the populations that I think sometimes is of the belief that homeownership is not achievable.”

Theo, a CCI Board Member, was thankful—and hopeful—that projects like this could continue on for other families in the region.

“The Office of Rural Development is awesome,” Theo said, “it really isn’t possible without coordinated efforts across various agencies and sectors.”