Homeboy Industries to Get County Funding
Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisorsapproved a $1.3-million contract with Homeboy Industries after financial problems threatened the life of the program. The nonprofit serves as a rehab center of sort, a space where ex-gang members can safely wean themselves from gang life and access job opportunities that would otherwise be hard to come by. Established by Father Gregory Boyle in 1988 — back then it went by Jobs for A Future — the program is the largest gang intervention program in the nation. But the recent economic downtown brought a significant decrease in charitable donations. The money provided by the county will go toward hiring staff and subsidizing services like employment counseling and tattoo removal. It's an investment, but one with a potentially high return. This 2008 USC student documentary short takes a look at the inner workings of the organization