Operation Homefront Selects Two Military Families to Receive Mortgage-Free Meritage Homes in Austin and Charlotte

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Our military members and their families work tirelessly to protect the freedoms we enjoy daily, and the transition to civilian life for veterans is not always easy. Today Meritage Homes and Operation Homefront announce the selection of two veterans who will receive brand new mortgage-free energy-efficient homes near Austin, TX and Charlotte, NC. They will be presented the keys during a ceremony in November in celebration of Veterans Day and Military Appreciation Month.

“We’re proud to take part in these home donations to support veterans in establishing strong foundations and helping them thrive in their communities,” shared Phillippe Lord, CEO of Meritage Homes. “Thank you to our employees, suppliers and trade partners for playing an important role in providing military families a place to call home.”

Lance Cpl. Eziyah Sims, a Marine Corps veteran, and his family will receive a new 1,300+ square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home located in the Waterstone Crossing community in Kyle, TX. Sims, who loves to cook, is most looking forward to making his grandmother’s recipes and his own creations in the kitchen. “It would be phenomenal to cook in my own home,” he said. “Operation Homefront and its donors make veterans like me feel valued…I want to give my kids their forever home…This is a wonderful program for those who want to do better by their families.”

Petty Officer 2^nd Class Lt. Aaliyah King (Williams), a Navy veteran, and her family will be presented with the keys to a new nearly 2,700 square-foot home featuring five bedrooms and three bathrooms in the Harper Landing community in Stanley, NC. King is excited for her family to establish roots in her hometown area of Charlotte. “I [want] to be 100 percent present for my children, and I would love to give them a home and stability. That’s all I want,” she said. She is excited for her children to build relationships with their grandparents—something that was difficult when she was in the service because visits were infrequent.

“Because of our continued partnership with Phillippe Lord and an amazing Meritage Homes’ team, the Sims and the Williams families not only receive the gift of a home, they will have a real opportunity to pursue dreams that seemed beyond their reach,” said Brig Gen (ret) John I. Pray, Jr., CEO of Operation Homefront. “We are very grateful for their unwavering dedication to helping us accomplish our vital mission to build strong, stable and secure military families so they can thrive, not simply struggle to get by, in the communities – OUR communities – they have worked so hard to protect.”

Each family recipient will enter Operation Homefront’s Permanent Homes for Veterans program, which provides veterans and their families the opportunity to move into a home and work directly with a financial counselor and a caseworker to help them prepare for homeownership and learn strategies for achieving financial success.

For more information about the program, please visit: https://www.meritagehomes.com/operation-homefront.  

About Meritage Homes Corporation: 
Meritage is the fifth-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2023. The Company offers energy-efficient and affordable entry-level and first move-up homes. Operations span across Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Meritage has delivered over 185,000 homes in its 38-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and award-winning customer experience. The Company is an industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding, an eleven-time recipient of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award and Residential New Construction Market Leader Award, as well as a three-time recipient of the EPA's Indoor airPLUS Leader Award.

For more information, visit www.meritagehomes.com.

About Operation Homefront:   
Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 83 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America’s military families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.

Contacts:
Emily Tadano, VP Investor Relations and ESG
(480) 515-8979 (office)
media@meritagehomes.com