Purple Heart Homes (PHH), the veteran-founded nonprofit dedicated to providing safe, accessible housing solutions for veterans, today announced that Co-Founder and CEO John Gallina will retire effective Nov. 15, 2026. Steven Johnson, the organization’s current Executive Director, will succeed Gallina in leading the organization.

The leadership transition comes at a defining moment for Purple Heart Homes. As the organization approaches two decades of service to America’s veterans, PHH is preparing for its largest and most visible undertaking to date: the National Mall Veteran Home Build, taking place Sept. 27 through Oct. 5 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.

Army National Guard Veterans and recipients of the Purple Heart for wounds sustained during combat, Gallina and the late Dale Beatty, co-founded Purple Heart Homes in 2008. Together, they set out to ensure that service-connected disabled and aging veterans could live safely and independently in homes that meet their needs. 

Since then, Purple Heart Homes has completed more than 1,800 projects nationwide, expanding its reach across 30 states and Puerto Rico, serving more than 4,000 veterans and bringing communities together to serve veterans through home repairs, renovations, homeownership programs, and other housing solutions.

“When Dale and I started Purple Heart Homes, our goal was simple: make sure veterans had safe, accessible homes and knew their communities stood behind them,” said Gallina. “Nearly two decades later, I’m incredibly proud of how that mission has grown and of the thousands of veterans and families whose lives have been touched along the way. Bringing that mission to the National Mall is a fitting culmination of this chapter for me and an opportunity to show the nation what is possible when we come together to serve those who served us.”

During the National Mall Veteran Home Build, PHH and its partners will construct a fully accessible modular home in full public view before transporting it to its permanent location in Glasgow, Virginia, where it will provide safe, independent housing for a veteran in need. Public viewing will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an opening ceremony Sept. 29 and a closing ceremony Oct. 5. 

Johnson brings a combination of military service, construction experience and firsthand knowledge of Purple Heart Homes to his leadership role. A U.S. Army veteran, Johnson served more than 27 years in the military, including deployments to Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia. Following his retirement from the Army in 2018, he founded Cross Cannons Construction Company and worked alongside Purple Heart Homes on numerous veteran projects before joining PHH full time. He most recently served as Vice President of Manufacturing before being named Executive Director.

“I am honored to follow in John’s footsteps and deeply grateful for the foundation he and Dale built,” said Johnson. “John’s leadership has helped turn Purple Heart Homes into a national organization with an extraordinary record of service. While the leadership is changing, our mission is not. We will continue bringing communities together, expanding our impact and finding new ways to ensure veterans have the safe, accessible homes they deserve.”

Gallina announced his plans to retire during the Purple Heart Homes board meeting on Aug. 23. He will remain CEO through Nov. 15 to support the transition.

“The National Mall build represents both how far Purple Heart Homes has come and where we are headed,” Gallina added. “I have tremendous confidence in Steven and the PHH team, and I know they will carry this mission forward with the same commitment to veterans that has guided us from the beginning.”

About Purple Heart Homes
Co-founded by two combat-wounded veterans, Purple Heart Homes has been bringing communities together to provide safe, barrier-free housing solutions for qualified veterans since 2008. Based in Statesville, North Carolina, PHH supports service-connected disabled and senior veterans from all eras across all 50 states and Puerto Rico through a growing network of local chapters. Its programs include critical home repairs and renovations, homeownership programs and transitional housing through partnerships with other nonprofit organizations.