Harbor Homes Names Executive Director

Harbor Homes, Martha’s Vineyard’s homeless prevention organization, has appointed Jeannette de Jesús as its new executive director.

Ms. de Jesús has led the organization in an interim capacity since October of 2025. She holds a master’s in public administration from Harvard University, a masters in social work from New York University, and has been working as a leadership development and executive coach for the last 10 years.

Prior to joining Harbor Homes, Ms. de Jesús served as senior advisor on health reform to the governor of Connecticut.

Harbor Homes board president Maura FitzGerald said in a statement that Ms. de Jesús has been a great cultural fit for the organization.

“It was clear from the outset that Jeannette’s educational background and depth of professional experience uniquely positioned her to lead an organization with a complex and multifaceted mission, bringing the strategic insight, operational discipline, and compassionate leadership necessary to meet its challenges and advance its long-term vision,” Ms. FitzGerald said.

In an interview with the Gazette, Ms. de Jesús said she prides herself on being able to work at multiple levels to help people in crisis.

“I’m really happy to be in an environment that has such an important critical issue to be addressed with a group of people who are highly motivated to have real impact in the area,” Ms. de Jesús said.

In addition to running a winter homeless shelter, Harbor Homes offers congregate housing for adults who were formerly homeless or imminently at risk of becoming homeless. The organization also provides a wide variety of additional services, offering assistance with everything from case management, elderly assistance and transportation support.

Ms. de Jesús said there are approximately 45 homeless people on Martha’s Vineyard, and that in recent years the organization has seen an increase in elderly adults among the homeless population.

“One of the things that we’re seeing that is really, really, really disturbing, is that the homeless are older,” said Ms. de Jesús. “We are having to provide elder care services to the homeless, which is a real trend across the country, and we’re seeing it here.”

Ms. de Jesús feels that her background working at the policy level will help with Island-wide issues of housing affordability.

“This work is really important here, because the Island has real shortages in year-round housing,” Ms. de Jesús said.

In March, Harbor Homes purchased a building at 515 Edgartown Road in Vineyard Haven to create a permanent home for its winter shelter. Over the years the organization has had to hold the shelter at various locations. The property was acquired for $1.5 million in collaboration with Island Housing Trust.

“We’ve had some outstanding community partners, larger donors who have stepped up and made loans available and made significant contributions, financial contributions for the purchase of the building,” said Ms. de Jesús.

Ms. de Jesús said the property will require roughly $6 million in additional funding for renovation.

This article appears in May 22, 2026.