Project Home Again (PHA) partners with social service agencies in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts to bring new and gently used household goods, furniture and appliances to low-income families in need so they can live with comfort and dignity. The organization tries to make the experience highly positive, with a staff member or lead volunteer choosing items that reflect the recipients’ personality and individual style. It’s what allows PHA to truly turn their houses into homes.
PHA has grown significantly over the years, developing into a longstanding community resource critical to the pipeline of housing and human service agencies supporting low-income families and combating housing instability. The organization's highly dignified and customized client service has made PHA the “go-to” for social workers from over 125 agencies, alleviating the burden on its partner organizations to find furnishings and other household essentials each time they rehouse a client.
In the last 2-3 years, PHA's annual rate of client service has more than doubled. In 2024, the organization served more than 1,400 individuals with a goal of increasing services by 30% in the next 5 years.
History & Milestones:
Project Home Again began in September 2003, when a domestic abuse survivor came to founder, Nancy Dubow Kanell, with a broken stove and no way to fix or replace it. To help her friend, Nancy put a notice in her temple bulletin. She received not only the stove, but several other appliances as well.
For several months, she repeated this notice in her temple bulletin, receiving donations of gently-used home goods, furniture and appliances and then working to find families in need to place them in. As Nancy spread the word to newspapers, clergy leaders and social service agencies, the operation eventually outgrew her garage and moved to a warehouse. Years later, PHA opened a second location, beautifully appointed to give its clients a more nurturing experience to “shop” in. What is often called the magic of PHA is that whenever PHA has needed something to grow and better serve its clients, it seems to happen!
Notable Milestones
Over the last 18 years, PHA has grown from a one-woman operation to a staff of dozens of volunteers serving hundreds of families a year.
2003 — Project Home Again begins 2003 — Temple Emanuel donates office space 2004 — Ozzy Properties donates space to open a PHA shop 2004 — Forever Green Lawn and Landscape offers to help with furniture pick-up 2010 — Richard Tankel donates a box truck to pick up donations 2013 — Receive first movie donation from HBO’s Olive Kitteridge 2014 — Project Home Again becomes a 501 (c)(3) organization and is governed by a Board of Directors 2015 — Raise enough money to purchase a newer truck with a lift gate 2016 — Hire Executive Director, Alyssa Kevlahan 2018 — Celebrate 15-year anniversary with a short documentary, Home Again and a new website 2019 — Opened up a second location, this one in Andover
Programs:
Good Night’s Sleep Program
One of the most important things Project Home Again does is provide new mattress sets to clients who have no bed of their own — some are currently sleeping on the floor, sharing with too many family members in one bed, or sleeping on mattresses so old, uncomfortable or unsanitary that they need replacing. Monetary donations help give a “good night sleep” to someone in need. It can affect the way they see the whole world, whether achieving more in school, at work, or having the stamina to beat an illness.
A Place at the Table Program
PHA believes that all of its clients should be able to prepare healthy meals at home. Unfortunately, many kitchen items are not donated in nearly the quantity the organization needs. With monetary donations, PHA purchases pots, pans, toasters, toaster ovens, blenders, and coffee makers when the organization is in short supply.
Dresser For Success
One of the most urgently needed items almost every client who visits PHA needs is a dresser. Because of the very limited number that are donated, the organization currently have a limit of one dresser per family.
In order to make things better for the families, PHA has launched a new program called Dresser For Success. With the funds PHA raises for this program, the organization will purchase dressers that its clients can put together themselves.
Project Home Again – Leadership
Project Home Again’s board members are a dynamic group dedicated to guiding PHA into the future with energy and passion—to help those in the community who need it most. To view PHA’s board members, click here.
For over 20 years, Project Home Again (PHA) has been a trusted nonprofit providing low-income families with essential household goods to help them create safe, comfortable, and functional homes. PHA is currently seeking a dynamic, mission-driven, compassionate, and strategic Executive Director (ED) to guide PHA into its next era of impact and innovation.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED will be a visionary leader with a deep commitment to supporting the basic needs of low-income families in the Merrimack Valley. The ED will manage all areas of finance, fundraising, marketing and communications, board relations, community partnerships and external relations, and will be the external face and voice of PHA. The ED will manage the Director of Operations (DOO), who oversees all day-to-day logistics, inventory management, and volunteer supervision.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy:
Lead the organization with vision, integrity, and empathy.
Drive the execution of the strategic plan and ensure progress toward both short- and long-term goals, in partnership with the Board and DOO.
Supervise and support the DOO.
Gather and implement client feedback in collaboration with the DOO.
Foster a positive, inclusive, and mission-driven organizational culture.
Board Engagement:
Serve as the key liaison between staff and the Board of Directors.
Communicate regularly with the board on operations, finances, grant activity, donor cultivation, and strategic progress.
Partner with board chairs to set meeting agendas, prepare materials, and deliver “mission moments.”
Collaborate with the board on governance, strategic planning, and member recruitment.
Fundraising & Development:
Lead all donor cultivation and fundraising efforts.
Build strong relationships with individual donors, grantors, and corporate partners.
Manage the grant writing consultant and create and execute an annual fundraising plan.
Develop and execute fundraising strategies in collaboration with the Board, where appropriate.
Ensure accurate reporting and evaluation for grants and funders.
Financial Oversight:
Develop and manage the annual budget in collaboration with the Treasurer and the DOO.
Monitor expenses, ensure fiscal responsibility, and maintain transparent financial practices.
Ensure compliance with all private and public funders.
External Relations & Advocacy:
Serve as the face of PHA in the community and nonprofit sector.
Regularly attend community events and networking activities (some activities may require evening or weekend commitments).
Engage with Philanthropy MA and the larger non-profit philanthropic community, peer leaders, and local coalitions.
Drive brand awareness through community partnerships and advocacy.
Steward existing partners and build relationships with social workers, healthcare providers and referral sources.
Oversee PHA’s social media and marketing strategy, maintaining and improving the current level of engagement.
Qualifications and Expectations
Qualifications:
Associate or Bachelor’s Degree required.
A minimum of five years’ experience as a leader/manager or volunteer in the nonprofit sector.
Experience working with volunteers and creating meaningful and impactful volunteer experiences.
Fundraising acumen, with a track record of donor engagement and grant success.
Comfort with budgeting, reporting, and compliance.
Strategic, big-picture thinker who can balance both short- and long-term planning and execution on goals.
Passionate about social impact with a hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves approach.
Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
Leads with kindness, compassion, warmth and empathy.
Tech-savvy with a growth mindset and a creative flair for marketing.
Bilingual Spanish/English speaker preferred.
Compensation & Benefits:
Salary range of $100,000 – 105,000.
Customized employee benefits.
Flexible work environment.
PTO and professional development support.
Applications & Nominations
Project Home Again has partnered with Boyden Executive Search. For more information about this opportunity or to submit a cover letter and resume, please email:
Wendy Wilsker has dedicated her entire career to the non-profit sector, serving in leadership roles within charitable organizations and working alongside them as an executive recruiter and consultant. She excels at identifying the unique challenges and opportunities non-profits face, and partners with senior leadership to build successful organizational structures, teams and advancement programs.
Beth Parsons specializes in the education and non-profit sectors, having held fundraising and leadership roles in prominent educational and social impact organizations for nearly 20 years. She partners with clients to develop search strategies on the basis of organizational needs and core values. Her extensive advancement network serves as a source of high-impact talent.
Don’t check off all the boxes or meet every single requirement? We have learned that potential candidates hesitate when applying for a job unless they meet every single requirement. Boyden Boston is dedicated to inclusivity and valuing diversity and equity in the workplace. If this opportunity excites you, but your background may not be a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply.
Project Home Again – Executive Director – Job Description (PDF Download)
