Key Points

• Miranda Phillips and her three younger children received the keys to their new home in Findlay, Ohio, made possible through a partnership between Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County and Marathon Petroleum.

• More than 250 Marathon Petroleum employees contributed over 1,400 volunteer hours across more than 300 shifts to help build three homes for local families.

• The dedication held special meaning for Marathon leader Jacqui Schlachter, who presented Phillips with the keys years after Phillips babysat her children.

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What began with raising the first walls of a house became a celebration of a new beginning for Miranda Phillips and her family.

Just months after helping lift those first walls into place, Phillips and her three younger children received the keys to their new home in Findlay, Ohio, made possible through a partnership between Marathon Petroleum and Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County.

The home dedication marked an exciting milestone for the family and the many volunteers and community partners who helped make it possible. For one Marathon leader, the occasion also held a special personal connection.

Years ago, Phillips babysat the children of Jacqui Schlachter, Marathon Petroleum's Supply Chain Midstream Operations and Corporate Services Senior Director. At the dedication, Schlachter had the opportunity to present Phillips with the keys to her new home.

“A house dedication is more than the completion of a building. It is the beginning of a new chapter,” Schlachter said. “These homes will be places where families gather, milestones are celebrated and memories are made for years to come.”

“It's hard to put into words what this moment means to our family. We've been looking forward to this day for so long, and now it's finally here.”

For Phillips, a full-time medical assistant and mother of four, this new chapter means more room for her family to grow. After sharing a small two-bedroom apartment with her three younger children, she now has a home with a yard for the kids to enjoy and room for her oldest daughter and three grandchildren to visit.

“It's hard to put into words what this moment means to our family,” Phillips said. “We've been looking forward to this day for so long, and now it's finally here. The kids are excited, I'm excited, and we can't wait to start making memories in our new home.”

Her path to homeownership included 400 hours of sweat equity, which means dedicating time to help build homes and support other Habitat projects. She had already completed most of those hours before volunteers gathered to raise the first walls of her own home. She also completed financial education courses to help prepare for the responsibilities of homeownership. Like other homeowners, she will make monthly mortgage payments over 30 years, but at a lower interest rate.

 The dedication also celebrated two other families, whose new homes were completed alongside the Phillips family's home.

“I’m especially proud of the more than 250 MPC employees who worked over 300 shifts and contributed more than 1,400 hours,” Schlachter said. “Their commitment shows what we can accomplish when we work together to support families in our community.”

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to helping families build a more stable future, one home at a time.

“Handing over the keys is always one of the most rewarding parts of what we do,” said Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County Executive Director Warren Long. “It's the moment when all the hard work, generosity and collaboration come together for a family. We're incredibly grateful to Marathon Petroleum and the volunteers who helped make this day possible.”

Back in August, Phillips said she couldn't wait to say she helped build her very own home. Now, after months of hard work and community support, she can say something even better.

“To know that my kids have a place to grow up, feel safe and truly call their own is everything," Phillips said. " We’re finally home.”