Homeboy Industries

In 1988, Father Greg Boyle founded a small initiative called "Jobs for a Future," a program that aimed to provide jobs and education as an opportunity for former gang members in Boyle Heights to change the course of their lives. In 2001, the program expanded and was renamed Homeboy Industries. Today, the organization is recognized as one of the most successful and comprehensive re-entry and rehabilitation programs in the United States. Homeboy Industries uses an innovative combination of paid job-training, tattoo removal, substance abuse treatment, education, and legal assistance to establish a helpful community for former gang members. The organization offers an 18-month program to more than 200 men and women at a time, providing assistance to transform their lives. Homeboy Industries' model is so effective that it has been replicated all across the globe and its founder, Father Boyle, is now an internationally recognized expert in rehabilitation and re-entry. Each year, the organization serves over 10,000 former gang members in Los Angeles who are seeking to change their lives for the better.