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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE: MTH), the fifth-largest public homebuilder in the U.S., continues to live up to its brand promise of a Life.Built.Better.® in 2024 by contributing $3.3 million and sponsoring numerous community volunteer events throughout its geographic footprint. During the year, the homebuilder donated $1.5 million mainly through Meritage Cares, its philanthropic foundation, as well as additional in-kind donations to help combat food insecurity, support tree planting efforts, fund education and career development initiatives, assist military veterans and their families, and improve affordable housing supply. The Company also contributed nearly $1.8 million to fund K-12 education opportunities in Arizona, Florida, and Georgia.

Further, the Meritage Cares Assistance Fund, an employer-sponsored relief fund established this year, aided employees impacted by natural disasters and other financial hardships.

“One of our core values is ‘Start with Heart,’ and it’s ingrained in everything we do as a company. We’re proud to continue our long record of contributing to organizations and causes that are working to build stronger communities,” said Phillippe Lord, CEO of Meritage Homes. “These contributions would not be possible without the dedication of all Meritage employees who serve an invaluable role in helping support these initiatives each year.”

Meritage’s 2024 philanthropic efforts include:

• Education and Career Development Initiatives

  • Funded $425,000 cumulatively to support university scholarships for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions as well as organizations that pursue academic, training and job opportunities in real estate and homebuilding-related industries including Building Talent Foundation, Ferguson Centers for Leadership Excellence Foundation, National Association of Women in Construction, Society of Women Engineers, as well as She Built Foundation.

• Tree Planting Programs

  • Donated $300,000 for a fourth consecutive year to the Arbor Day Foundation to fund tree planting and water conservation efforts via targeted reforestation.

• Addressing Food Insecurity

  • Contributed over $190,000 to food banks and shelters in the markets Meritage operates in, including nearly $100,000 to No Child Hungry. Additionally, employees contributed nearly 1,400 cumulative hours to pack 370,000 meal kits—some of which were donated to hurricane victims in Charlotte and Greenville.

• Assisting Military Families

  • Built and donated two brand-new, mortgage-free homes to deserving military families in Austin and Charlotte in partnership with Operation Homefront’s Permanent Homes for Veterans program. Meritage has donated 20 homes through this program to date.

• Supporting Affordable Housing

  • Provided over $40,000 to the Arizona Housing Fund from Meritage’s Phoenix and Tucson divisions combined with contributions from its homebuyers to provide permanent, affordable housing for Arizonans experiencing homelessness.