Homeboy Industries

After surviving a brain injury from a gang-related shooting, Omar faced numerous disabilities and a profound anger towards the world. Despite knowing he needed a change, he was unsure how to become the person he aspired to be. Entering the doors of Homeboy Industries, he found what he described as “healing,” which transformed him into a better father, son, and man. During a tour, he introduced me to the founder Greg Boyle. S. J. I asked Father Greg how he measures success. He explained that measuring outcomes can be limiting and can encourage case managers to assist those with fewer barriers rather than the most at-risk individuals. Many county, state, federal, or nonprofit programs are bound by specific outcomes that determine who is deemed a “success” or “failure.” This binary overlooks individual circumstances or progress. Results like becoming a better father may not fit traditional success metrics, but they are significant achievements nonetheless. Two key takeaways from this visit: 1. The Power of Storytelling and Qualitative Data: Over 50% of Homeboy Industries’ $50 million yearly budget comes from private donations. These donors are moved not by statistics, but by the compelling stories of transformation. Father Greg, recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, fills his office not with accolades but with photos of individuals whose lives have improved—a testament to the power of storytelling. 2. Diversify Your Income Sources: About 25% of Homeboy Industries’ budget is generated through 13 social enterprise programs, such as Homeboy Electronics Recycling and Homeboy Threads. Less than 10% comes from public agency funding and grants. This diverse funding mix enables them to offer a wide range of services that might otherwise be unavailable. Thank you for being a tremendous tour guide Omar and congratulations on such a fantastic transformation! Thanks to the Workforce Development Avengers of Ventura County for joining the tour as well! Jacqueline Loredo Govea at Eckerd Connects Brendan Mactal at Career TEAM Patricia Dupree at Employment Development Department Monique Marquez at Managed Career Solutions Inc. Colleen Smith Workforce Development Board of Ventura County Matthew McDonald, MSIO Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties #workforcedevelopment #publicsector #venturacounty #reentry #homeboyindustries

Pam Herrera, Homegirl Cafe's general manager did an amazing job representing Homeboy Industries at City Hall. She is an incredible leader, and a beautiful example of our mission here at Homeboy. Thank you #DineLA and #DiscoverLosAngeles for inviting us and giving us a platform to speak about the power of second chances.

We are stronger together! Homeboy Industries Silkscreen & Embroidery is proud to work with organizations like LA Voice, an organization that empowers people to stand-up for what their communities need. We were privileged enough to work with them last year to create their "Home is Sacred" t-shirts. When you choose to partner with Homeboy #Silkscreen & #Embroidery, you are creating products with a purpose. With a catalog of over 30k materials, we are sure to have what you need for your next event, fundraiser, or uniform order. Receive a quote by emailing [email protected] or call 213-623-7955. We work with any and all needs you have, big or small!

The small and large interactions between us define us, define our culture, define our group, define our organization … Few do it better than Homeboy Industries in LA … largest and best gang intervention program in the world. Steve Avalos explains ….

Volunteering for a year with Homeboy Industries has been profoundly transformative. As an Employment Counselor for the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world, I supported clients in overcoming barriers to employment. By anchoring myself as a mentor and source of encouragement, I learned that creating a community of change begins with fostering a community of cherished belonging. Homeboy Industries truly is an ecosystem of love, offering gang members the opportunity to redirect their lives. The energy of unifying love that Homeboy Industries embodies quickly moved my heart during my year here. I would like to especially thank Jacqueline Harper for her support and leadership during this past year!

Join us in celebrating Aisha Estrada's graduation from Homeboy Industries!  Aisha is currently interning at ONYX and will continue to pursue her architecture studies at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona this fall. #Architecture #ArchitectureStudent #HomeboyIndustries #HigherEducation Greg Boyle. S. J. Break it to Make it

🌟 We are incredibly grateful to the Starbucks team! Homeboy Industries has been awarded the "Starbucks Neighborhood Grant," and we were specially recognized by their internal partners for the way we stand in the margins with our community. This generous investment helps build and sustain our impact as we continue to uplift all of our homies. The best is yet to come. Shout out to the Whittier & Goodrich Store, the internal partners, everyone in attendance and everyone behind the scenes who helped to make this happen. Thank you, Starbucks, for believing in our mission! ☕️✨ #Grateful #CommunitySupport #HomeboyIndustries #StarbucksNeighborhoodGrant #MakingADifference #CommunityImpact #StarbucksCoffeeCompany #Starbucks #SocialChange #Whittier&Goodrich #NurturingHumanConnection

Thank you to Entrepreneur Magazine for including Homeboy Industries in their article "Charities Are Getting Down to Business" for their latest magazine issue. Check out the excerpt below to learn more about why more charitable leaders are taking a page from their for-profit peers: CHARITY DOGMA Investors are for businesses, not nonprofits. The concept isn’t new, and the term “venture philanthropy” itself is credited to John D. Rockefeller III in 1969. But it’s taken on a fresh life recently, as successful executives and entrepreneurs apply a businesslike approach to their philanthropy. Thomas Vozzo is a great example. His long corporate career ended in 2011 as executive vice president of the $13.5 billion professional services company Aramark. Then he became the volunteer CEO of Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit that offers support to formerly incarcerated gang members…It owns and operates 14 small businesses, such as an electronics recycling business (Homeboy Electronics Recycling) and a bakery, where former gang members can work and develop professional skills. Most of Homeboy’s donors wanted to fund the services, but Vozzo was itching to actually grow these businesses and start new ones. His solution? To set up a venture philanthropy fund dedicated to doing just that. “For-profit America knows that they need to spend money to make money,” he figured. “Well, let’s use that same mentality in the nonprofit world.” The idea excited his corporate donors, and with $12 million so far, the fund helped Homeboy open a new dog-grooming enterprise, among others.” Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g3mR2rTt

✨ Gratitude Alert✨ Super excited to share that we welcomed 25 of the most amazing social work students from the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families (TFCF) at Homeboy Industries today! 🎉 They got to see our kinship in action, stand with our community, and enjoy some phenomenal eats at our Homegirl Cafe and Catering, where everything's made with love and a 'lil razzle-dazzle. 🍽️💖 Big shoutout to our homie, the University of Southern California's own, Dr. Robert Hernandez for his incredible work in the community and here at Homeboy; Fight On, Robert! ✌ ❤️ 💛 Loved sharing how we inspire hope and connect with the world. #SocialWork #CommunityImpact #HomeboyIndustries #GlobalConnections #TFCF #USC