BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Each month, “WBZ Cares” highlights a worthy non-profit organization and tells the story of what that organization does for the community. This month WBZ is profiling Project Home Again in Lawrence which turns houses into homes by providing low-income families with new and gently-used household goods so they can live with comfort and dignity.
Executive Director Alyssa Kevlahan on how people come to Project Home Again for help, “We partner with social workers, case workers, therapists. Once they’ve signed a very simple contract with us they can refer anyone who is really in need of the items we have here and who could benefit from our help. They complete a check list. That check list gets sent to us. Once it’s approved it comes in and we can have that client come in and shop.”
And they give away lots of stuff.
“Sofas, dining room table sets, chairs, anything in the kitchen that you would need. Microwaves, coffee makers, toasters, bed frames, really anything that you need to live comfortably,” Kevlahan stated.
Kevlahan says the need for their help is growing.
“Since we opened our doors in 2003, we have helped roughly around 10,000 families, though we believe at this point it’s far exceeded 10,000. And in 2017 alone we helped over 600 families get back on their feet,” explained Kevlahan.
Volunteer Sue Coneeny says they've also been helping families affected by the Columbia Gas explosions and fires.
“There was a woman in here the other day that lost everything with a fire and I think she said her son-in-law found her a place in Chelmsford, but she had nothing. And so we were really able furnish her apartment for her,” Coneeny said.
Coneeny feels the need for those affected by the gas crisis will grow as people transition from temporary to more permanent housing.
“When some of these people have found new places to live, you know they can’t just go out and buy all new sheets for their beds, or they just don’t have the money to live month-to-month, let alone replace everything they lost,” Coneeny concluded.
WBZ NewsRadio1030's Doug Cope Reports