Operation Homefront Selects Three Military Families to Receive Mortgage-Free Meritage Homes in Houston, Nashville, and Tucson

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (NYSE:MTH) and today announced that three deserving military families have been selected for the program. Each will receive a brand new, energy-efficient, mortgage-free home. The homes are located in Houston, Nashville, and Tucson, and the families will be presented the keys to their new homes by early November — just in time for Veterans Day and Military Family Appreciation Month.

“We are very proud to support the men and women who are serving and have served in our Armed Forces. At Meritage, it’s our honor to be able to continue our work with Operation Homefront and offer these families a home where they can build a strong foundation. All three recipients and their families have made sacrifices for our country and we’re proud to help them achieve their dreams of homeownership,” said Phillippe Lord, CEO of Meritage Homes. “These homes would not be possible without our numerous vendors who have donated time and materials. We are very thankful for their support.”

Petty Officer 2^nd Class Lt. Nicole Henderson retired in 2022 following a 13-year career in the U.S. Navy. She and her daughter will receive a 1,800+ square-foot, three-bedroom house in the , 25 miles south of metro Houston. The home will bring them closer to their relatives and the Texas Children’s Hospital where her daughter receives treatment.

“This is a dream come true for me and my daughter. Putting down roots here will allow us to become true members of this community,” shares Henderson. “I’m excited to proudly display memories from my service in my forever home.”

Army Spc. Carlos Rodriguez-Velazquez left his home in Puerto Rico to join the Army. He was stationed at Fort Campbell and served a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan during his more than three years of service. He and his family will receive a 1,800+ square-foot, four-bedroom home in the , 20 minutes outside of downtown Nashville. He and his wife are excited to offer their three children the stability needed to thrive.

“I’m so grateful to Operation Homefront and Meritage Homes for this opportunity,” shares Rodriguez-Velazquez. “They have given me hope to fulfill my dreams for myself and my family. We’re thrilled to continue building our life together in this new home.”

Army Sgt. Charles Haney medically retired from the military in 2009 after five years of service, including a deployment to Iraq. The family will receive a nearly 2,400 square-foot, four-bedroom home located in the , outside of Tucson, AZ.

“I’m proud to have served in the military. It’s wonderful to see organizations like Operation Homefront and builders like Meritage recognizing veterans and their families,” says Haney. “This home means so much to me and my family. It will help ensure my children have the opportunity at a better life and brighter future.”

“I want to thank Phillippe Lord and the entire Meritage Homes team for their continued commitment to helping our military families have the opportunity to realize the dream of home ownership through our Permanent Homes for Veterans program,” said Brig Gen John I. Pray, Jr, (USAF) Retired, President and CEO for Operation Homefront. “Meritage’s life-changing donations to our highly valued program will provide the Henderson, Rodriguez-Velazquez and Haney families with a place each can call home and allow them to put down roots to build a stronger community and in turn, a better America.”

Each family 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 Operation Homefront and Meritage Homes partnership, please visit

About Meritage Homes Corporation:   

Meritage Homes is the seventh-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2021. The Company offers a variety of homes that are designed with a focus on entry-level and first move-up buyers. Operations span across Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.

Meritage Homes has delivered over 155,000 homes in its 36-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and award-winning customer experience. The Company is the industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding and a nine-time recipient of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ("EPA") ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award since 2013 for innovation and industry leadership in energy-efficient homebuilding, and the recipient of the EPA Indoor airPLUS Leader Award.

For more information, visit

About Operation Homefront:

Celebrating 20 years of serving America’s military families, 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, 88 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 .