Operation Homefront Selects Three Veterans for Mortgage-Free Homes from Meritage Homes

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Operation Homefront and Meritage Homes Corporation MTH have selected three military families to receive newly-built mortgage-free homes. The homes are located in Winter Springs, Florida; Lincoln, California; and Houston, Texas. Each one of the homes will be unveiled to the families in November during the week leading up to Veterans Day.

Born in Killeen, Texas, and raised in Northern California, Marine Sergeant Joseph Morgan, his wife Cortney, and their four children will be moving into the first home that they will own as a family. The 1,972 square foot home in Lincoln, California will provide the family of six a place to grow and live for years to come.

Army Specialist Brandi Barnes was selected to receive a 1,882 square foot home in Houston, Texas. The three bedroom ranch-style home will provide Brandi and her three children an opportunity for a fresh start. She is attending cosmetology school full-time at Paul Mitchell and looks forward to starting her own business. Her children will now have a chance to play outside in a safe environment and have a place to call their own.

In Orlando, Florida, Army National Guard Sergeant Keith Hale, his wife Tianna, and his three children were selected to receive a 2,000 square foot home. The home with ADA compliant features will allow Keith to use his wheelchair inside the house. This house will also provide both Keith and Tianna a more normal life keeping their children busy with school activities.

“I can't thank Operation Homefront and Meritage Homes enough,” said Marine Sergeant Joseph Morgan. “It's an amazing feeling that my children are given a stable home that I never had as a child. I am looking forward to the holidays that my children will remember for years to come.”

Each one of the veterans was selected based on a number of qualifications including, but not limited to, family needs and ties to the community. These homes are the second set of three homes that are newly-built provided through Operation Homefront's Homes on the Homefront program. Tim Farrell, the organization's Chief Operating Officer, says that working with Meritage continues to be a significant opportunity for the program to serve military families in a new way.

“Our continued partnership with Meritage Homes allows us to diversify our Homes on the Homefront program with new construction homes, and most importantly has allowed us to bring the American dream of home ownership to an additional three military families this year,” said Farrell. “It's an exciting time for each of the families, as well as our team at Operation Homefront, as we look forward to handing over the keys to the homes in November.”

Meritage Homes' contribution to the Homes on the Homefront program has already made a major impact on military families, but will not stop at just these three houses.

“This is our second year to provide homes for our deserving veterans in cooperation with Operation Homefront, and I am so proud of our partnership with them,” said Steven J. Hilton, chairman and CEO of Meritage Homes. “We and our trade partners are honored to provide these beautiful, quality-built, mortgage-free homes to the Morgan, Barnes and Hale families, and I hope to one day deliver our 100th home through this program.”

For more information about the Operation Homefront and Meritage Homes partnership, please visit http://www.HomesontheHomefront.org/Highlights or www.MeritageHomes.com.

About Meritage Homes Corporation

Meritage Homes is the ninth-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2013. Meritage builds and sells single-family homes for first-time, move-up, luxury and active adult buyers across the Western, Southern and Southeastern United States. Meritage builds in markets including Sacramento, San Francisco's East Bay, the Central Valley and Orange County, California; Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Green Valley and Tucson, Arizona; Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; Greenville-Spartanburg and York County, South Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia.

Meritage has designed and built more than 80,000 homes in its 28-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and positive customer experience. Meritage is the industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award in 2013 and 2014, for innovation and industry leadership in energy efficient homebuilding. Meritage was the first national homebuilder to be 100 percent ENERGY STAR qualified in every home it builds, and far exceeds ENERGY STAR standards today.

For more information, visit meritagehomes.com.

About Operation Homefront

A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 93 percent of total donations to Operation Homefront go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.