Daily CSR
Daily CSR

Daily CSR
Daily news about corporate social responsibility, ethics and sustainability

US Army veteran receives mortgage free rent



03/31/2023


Sergeant Xanthin Luptak of the United States Army had always desired a home.

With the gift of a mortgage-free home, U.S. Bank collaborated with Freedom Alliance and Ole South to help Luptak realize his dream.

“This means the world to us,” said Luptak, who received the keys to his home at a special event attended by military, government officials, neighbors, employees of the presenting sponsors, and many others.

“This is what I’ve always wanted in my life and I’m not talking just about a roof over my head, necessarily. But, I’ve always wanted to be able to provide a forever home for my family.”

Luptak's wife, Jessica, and their two children, Lily and Luke, were Tennessee's first recipients of the U.S. Bank HOME (Housing Opportunities after Military Engagement) programme. Since 2013, 22 other veteran families have received mortgage-free homes. The total value of the 23 donated homes in thriving communities across the country exceeds $5 million.

“It is such an honor to partner with organizations like Freedom Alliance who make a difference in our communities, especially our veteran communities,” said Len McMorrow, senior vice president of default recovery & litigation at U.S. Bank.

“Our U.S. Bank HOME program allows a deserving, honorable veteran like Xanthin and his family to begin a new chapter in a mortgage-free home. We are excited for the Luptak family to get settled in Tennessee and enjoy all that the community offers.”

Luptak had wanted to be a soldier since he was a child. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the Indiana National Guard. He served a 15-month deployment in Iraq in 2007, where he performed dangerous route clearing missions such as bomb removal to make safer passage for US troops. He met his wife while stationed in Colorado in 2010, and then received a temporary assignment at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he trained cadets on route clearance operations. Luptak was sent to Afghanistan for a second deployment in 2011, where he trained Afghan police on the same procedures.

During his deployments, he was severely wounded but survived repeated engagements with enemy forces. He was exposed to dangerous toxins from burn pits and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was examined prior to surgery for his combat injuries. Luptak underwent chemotherapy and is now cancer-free. In 2017, he was medically released.

“March 2023 marks 20 years since the beginning of the Iraq war. There have been a lot of sacrifices made by our military personnel and so it's really fitting during this time that we can present Xanthin and his family with their new home,” said President of Freedom Alliance Tom Kilgannon.

Freedom Alliance provides mortgage-free homes, specially equipped wheelchairs, home repairs, vehicles, and scholarships to military personnel who are injured or killed in the line of duty. There is an application and screening process in place to match and award homes like the one given to Luptak.

“I feel nothing but a clean slate in moving forward with a better future,” said Luptak. “So, how do I feel? Amazing. Just blessed and amazing.”