For media inquiries, please contact Mike Lahrman at communications@operationhomefront.org or call (210) 202-1243.
Air Force Veteran to Receive Mortgage-Free Home in Henderson, Nevada
LAS VEGAS, Nev. September 12, 2019 —U.S. Bank and Operation Homefront today announced that Air Force veteran Mark Porter and his wife, Cynthia, have been selected to enter the Homes on the Homefront (HOTH) program and received the keys to a brand-new home in Henderson, Nev. The family was welcomed into the home during a special key ceremony.
As a part of the HOTH program, the Porters will move into the one-bedroom, plus den, two-bath home donated by U.S. Bank. They will work directly with housing caseworkers and financial counselors to prepare for homeownership, build savings and reduce debt. Upon successful completion of the program, the family will graduate and receive the deed to the home, mortgage-free. This home offers the Porters a unique opportunity to establish roots in a community near immediate family and will provide them the security and stability that comes with homeownership.
“We were overwhelmed with emotions and thankful beyond words,” Mark said. “We are very thankful to U.S. Bank and Operation Homefront. [This home] will change our lives forever.”
“Our veterans and military give everything for our collective freedom, and we’re deeply grateful for their service and sacrifice,” said Morris Jackson, U.S. Bank Consumer and Business Banking Leader in Las Vegas. “We’re honored to be able to give back to our veterans and their families in the form of a mortgage-free home.”
Since Operation Homefront’s HOTH program began in 2012, nearly 575 families have graduated from the program and been deeded their home, mortgage-free. Operation Homefront has provided more than $80 million dollars in home equity to military families. The homes are donated by corporate partners, including U.S. Bank, other major financial services companies and home builders.
“Having a mortgage-free home provides our veteran families with an opportunity to build a solid foundation in their community,” Brig. Gen. (ret.) Bob Thomas, COO of Operation Homefront. “We are grateful to U.S. Bank for donating their first home to the HOTH program and giving the Porters a stable future where they can make cherished memories with their family.”
A fascination with airplanes, family tradition, and a sense of duty propelled Mark to join the Air Force in 1975, when he was still in high school. He served his country proudly for 17 years.
His plan was to serve for 20 years, but with the fall of the Berlin Wall and an opportunity to go to college, Mark embarked on a new civilian journey in 1992. He earned his degree, began work as an engineer, met Cynthia, and has spent the last nine years of his career working for BNSF Railway in California, recently retiring in August 2019.
As Mark and Cynthia planned their retirement, they wanted to move to Nevada to be closer to Cynthia’s daughter and family. With rent costs rising in California, their budget and retirement plans were unstable. They could not afford trips to visit family. One day, Cynthia saw a post for Operation Homefront’s HOTH program, reviewed the available houses and saw the home in Nevada. Mark applied and was accepted into the HOTH program.
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About U.S. Bank: U.S. Bancorp, with 74,000 employees and $482 billion in assets as of June 30, 2019, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. The Minneapolis-based bank blends its relationship teams, branches and ATM network with mobile and online tools that allow customers to bank how, when and where they prefer. U.S. Bank is committed to serving its millions of retail, business, wealth management, payment, commercial and corporate, and investment services customers across the country and around the world as a trusted financial partner, a commitment recognized by the Ethisphere Institute naming the bank a 2019 World’s Most Ethical Company.
For more information, visit www.usbank.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, 92 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