Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries — the largest gang intervention and re-entry program in the world — was honored by President Joe Biden with the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, on Friday, May 3.
Officials at Homeboys Industries said in a statement that Father Greg, as he is widely known, “exemplifies the transformative power of compassion, forgiveness, and second chances. For nearly forty years, Father Greg has empowered hundreds of thousands of individuals to break free from the cycles of poverty, violence, and incarceration.”
The nonprofit uses its $40 million budget to provide services and support to 10,000 people annually.
Other Medal of Freedom recipients on May 3 included philanthropist Michael Bloomberg, former U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole, former U.S. President Al Gore, former Secretary of State John Kerry and Olympic gold medalist swimmer Katie Ledeck.
In 1988 as pastor at Dolores Mission Church, the most impoverished Catholic parish in L.A., Boyle sought to give a second chance to ex-gang members and former prisoners. And then after the 1992 L.A. riots, Boyle and others set up Homeboy Bakery where former prisoners and former gang members learned skills and got the chance to make changes in their lives. According to Homeboys Industries, “36 years later, that first social enterprise business has evolved into 13 social enterprises.”
