News Summary
Homeboy Industries has announced a fundraising campaign to raise $100 million for expanding its facilities in downtown Los Angeles. Founded by Father Greg Boyle, the organization aims to enhance its services for gang-member rehabilitation, homelessness, and job training, including constructing 200 temporary housing units to assist individuals transitioning out of jail. With an initial pledge of $10 million from Frank McCourt, the campaign seeks additional funding from various sources over the next five years to continue its mission of supporting at-risk individuals.
Los Angeles – Homeboy Industries has officially launched a fundraising campaign aiming to raise $100 million for a significant expansion of its facilities in downtown Los Angeles. This initiative is set to enhance the organization’s capability to serve gang-member rehabilitation efforts and accommodate more individuals seeking skills training.
The fundraising campaign was announced by Father Greg Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries, alongside Frank McCourt, a real estate developer and former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The expansion will include the construction of temporary housing for individuals transitioning out of jail, alongside essential services such as healthcare, drug addiction treatment, job training, and career development.
To kickstart the campaign, Frank McCourt has pledged the initial $10 million. Homeboy Industries aims to secure the remainder of the funding over the next five years through private donors, corporations, and philanthropic organizations.
Founded 37 years ago, Homeboy Industries is recognized as the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and reentry program in the world. The organization focuses on helping formerly incarcerated individuals and gang-involved youth acquire new skills to prevent recidivism. Currently, Homeboy Industries is serving approximately 10,000 individuals seeking services annually, with an additional 10,000 community visitors. It also employs around 300 staff members, many of whom are graduates of the program, and runs 14 social enterprises, including the well-known Homeboy Bakery and Homegirl Cafe in Chinatown.
Father Boyle has emphasized that the upcoming expansion could serve as a national model for reducing recidivism, ultimately providing pathways to productive citizenship. Notably, around 70% of individuals entering the program are homeless, often finding themselves sleeping in cars or couch surfing.
Expansion Details
The initial phase of the expansion involves constructing 200 temporary housing units on land previously used for the storage of damaged police vehicles. Following this, a significant 35,000 square feet will be dedicated to vital services such as mental health care and job training.
The project will be designed by KFA, a Culver City architecture firm, aiming to enhance Homeboy’s facilities to offer comprehensive educational, legal, healthcare, and reentry services. An additional component of the expansion is related to the Homeboy Art Academy, which will offer creative expression programs and expand into a new 5,000-square-foot area, along with providing tattoo removal services.
The development will align and complement existing philanthropic services in the region, such as temporary housing provided by the Weingart Center and a medical services complex established by the California Endowment.
Funding and Community Impact
McCourt’s commitment to the expansion is viewed as a way to “prime the pump,” as his firm will also provide real estate expertise for the project. McCourt has highlighted the crucial need for a compassionate approach in treating individuals affected by incarceration and gang involvement.
Homeboy Industries recently celebrated the graduation of its largest class to date, with 109 individuals completing their programs during an annual ceremony recognizing their achievements. Since its inception, Homeboy Industries has secured $40 million in funding while emphasizing its mission to provide effective rehabilitation and support for those in need.
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Additional Resources
- Los Angeles Times: Homeboy Industries Expansion
- Wikipedia: Homeboy Industries
- Los Angeles Magazine: Father Greg Boyle Day
- Google Search: Father Greg Boyle
- NBC Los Angeles: Homeboy Industries Graduation Ceremony
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Gang
- ABC7: Pedestrians Hurt in Chinatown
- Google News: Homeboy Industries
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LOS ANGELES STAFF WRITER The LOS ANGELES STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERELosAngeles.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, and beyond, specializing in "news you can use" with coverage of product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates, while delivering top reporting on high-value events like the Academy Awards, LA Auto Show, and Los Angeles Marathon, extending coverage to key organizations such as the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, plus leading businesses in entertainment and technology like Warner Bros. and SpaceX, and as part of the broader HERE network including HEREAnaheim.com , HERECostaMesa.com , HEREHuntingtonBeach.com , and HERESantaAna.com , providing comprehensive, credible insights into Southern California's dynamic landscape. HERE Anaheim HERE Beverly Hills HERE Coronado HERE Costa Mesa HERE Hollywood HERE Huntington Beach HERE Long Beach HERE Los Angeles HERE Mission Viejo HERE San Diego HERE Santa Ana
