Photo courtesy Homeboy Industries

LOS ANGELES — The coronavirus pandemic and Stay at Home order have not stopped Homeboy Industries from supporting those in the program who need help.

In this episode of COVID-19: Just the Facts, Spectrum News 1 anchor Giselle Fernandez spoke to the founder of Homeboy Industries, Father Greg Boyle.

He established Homeboy Industries in 1988 in order to provide hope, advice, and job-training for formerly gang-involved men and women. 

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The goal is to provide support and services so that these men and women can redirect their lives and become contributing members of society. 

Homeboy Industries has been forced to shut their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that hasn't stopped Father Greg from supporting and helping those in the program who need him. 

“Our program is not for those who need help; it’s only for those who want it, so the minute they want it, they walk in the door," he said. "It would be a shame to not have those doors open.”

Father Greg also offered inspirational insight to Angelenos by challenging us to see ourselves in each other.

“I think this is quite the opportunity for a reset in terms of all of these large issues as well,” he said. “It feels unrelated but everything from income disparity, and the Great Gulf that exists between the haves and the have-nots, and mass incarceration and all the things is kind of peculiar. This could well be a reset that leads us into this wide open space.”

To learn more about the virtual work of Homeboy Industries during the pandemic, visit homeboyindustries.org.