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Groups Come Together To House Deserving Veteran Or Military Family

By Shawn Chitnis

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - Operation Homefront is searching for a veteran or military family to move into the 12th house donated in partnership with Meritage Homes that will be completed and ready for them to move in this fall.

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(credit: CBS)

"Colorado is a community, a state in general, that is committed to military families," said Julia Sherman, the director of sales for the Colorado division of Meritage Homes.

The house is under construction in a new development that will be near Buckley Air Force Base and the new V.A. hospital. The home is mortgage free, donated to Operation Homefront, it is the first in this partnership located in Colorado.

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(credit: CBS)

The veteran or military family chosen to live in the house will spend a couple years covering the maintenance costs while the nonprofit still owns the property. If the selected veteran or family can handle those expenses, the deed of that house will be placed under their name.

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Julia Sherman (credit: CBS)

"Our commitment to the military is just the very smallest thing we can do to give back to service members and their families who sacrifice so much in the name of our freedom," Sherman said.

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The donated house is possible because of 40 partners providing the time, materials, and money to build it. That includes appliances and landscaping to make sure the home is "move-in" ready around Veterans Day.

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Operation Homefront will announce the person or family moving in on Sept. 11.

"We're building a house for a family. We don't know who that is yet," she said. "In some ways that heightens the enthusiasm around it."

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Previous family given a home by Operation Homefront. (credit: CBS)

There are requirements for anyone interested to qualify and an application process that must be completed by June 27.

"They need to have been honorably discharged," said Sherman. "Does not have to be, but most have been discharged from service in the last seven years or so, there is some financial vetting that takes place."

"It has us swollen with pride, we can't wait to know who this family is," added Sherman. "Because once we know, there is just so much more that we want to be able to give."

LINKS: Operation Homefront |  Homes On The Homefront Application

Shawn Chitnis reports for CBS4 News at 10 on weekends and CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. throughout the week. Email him story ideas at smchitnis@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter or Facebook.

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