Meritage Homes (NYSE:MTH) and Operation Homefront have partnered to thank a military family for their service by presenting them with a brand new, mortgage-free and energy-efficient Meritage home as part of the Permanent Homes for Veterans program. Prior to Veteran’s Day, Navy Petty Officer First Class Garfield Johnson, his wife, Tia, and their two young children received the keys to their 1,840 square-foot, single-story home located in the new Bristol Meadows community in Zephyrhills near Tampa, Florida.
The four-bedroom home features modern design, including an open floorplan, large kitchen island and quartz countertops. It is complete with Meritage’s M.Connected Home™ Automation Suite and advanced energy-efficient, healthy home features—ENERGY STAR® appliances, spray-foam insulation, a multi-speed HVAC unit, MERV-13 air filtration and Low-E windows—that create a healthier living environment and reduce monthly utility bills.
To welcome the Johnsons to their new home, the Meritage Tampa division added personal touches throughout, including all new furniture and decor, custom paint in the kids’ rooms, and a family photo wall.
Johnson served 11 years as an aircraft structural mechanic in the Navy. As he transitions out of military service due to medical retirement, Johnson, his wife and kids are eager to start a new chapter and put down roots closer to their extended family. The donated home will provide the family with the opportunity to establish themselves in their new community.
“This is more than a house; this represents a stronger, more stable future for my family. We are so grateful to all the people who have helped to make this possible and the thoughtfulness that they put into all the details,” Johnson said. “Stepping foot inside this home, I can envision family dinners, holiday gatherings and life milestones. Thank you for making this possible for us.”
The Permanent Homes for Veterans program has placed more than 700 military families in mortgage-free homes and deeded over $90 million in home equity. This is the fourteenth new home Meritage Homes has constructed and donated to military families.
“We are thrilled to join with Meritage and their trade partners in the Zephyrhills community to welcome the Johnson family to their beautiful new home,” said Brig Gen (ret) John I. Pray Jr, president and CEO of Operation Homefront. “I know all are extremely proud to be able to help this very special and deserving family have the opportunity to build a stronger, more stable and more secure future in recognition for all they have done for all of us.”
“We are very honored to present the Johnson family with their brand-new, mortgage-free home and are humbled by the sacrifices made by our armed service men and women,” said Phillippe Lord, CEO of Meritage Homes. “This home was built thanks to the ongoing support from our trade partners and vendors—this would not be possible without their continued partnership. As a company, we are proud to be a part of The Permanent Homes for Veterans program and it is with immense joy that we welcome the Johnson family home. We look forward to seeing them grow in this new, exciting chapter in their lives.”
For more information about the Operation Homefront and Meritage Homes partnership, please visit https://www.meritagehomes.com/operation-homefront
About Meritage Homes Corporation
Meritage Homes is the sixth-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2020. The Company offers a variety of homes that are designed with a focus on first-time and first move-up buyers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Meritage Homes has delivered over 145,000 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 an eight-time recipient of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award since 2013 for innovation and industry leadership in energy-efficient homebuilding.
For more information, visit www.meritagehomes.com.
About Operation Homefront:
Founded in 2002, 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, 90 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.
About Start Strong, Stay Strong
Operation Homefront launched ‘Start Strong, Stay Strong,’ a national brand campaign in March 2021. The initiative brings much-needed attention to the dedicated service of our military families and the support that Americans can provide to build the stability, connections and comfort these families deserve to start strong in their communities and stay strong throughout their journeys. #StartStrongStayStrong.
Find out more at operationhomefront.org/startstrongstaystrong.
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