BMO Donates $1 Million to Help Homeboy Industries Expand Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – BMO today announced a $1 million donation to Homeboy Industries, a world-renowned gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program that has been serving the Los Angeles area for over 35 years. BMO’s donation will support the nonprofit organization’s programs and the regional expansion of its workforce development and training hub, including programs at its new Youth Re-entry Center in the Boyle Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles.

“BMO’s partnership with Homeboy Industries brings us one step closer to bridging the economic and equity gap for individuals in the Los Angeles area,” said Kimberley Goode, Chief Communications and Social Impact Officer, BMO. “We are proud to support the expansion of Homeboy Industries’ workforce development and training hub, to help thousands of people seeking opportunities to change their lives and become productive members of the community. Together we can help provide resources for men, women and youth who have been marginalized and drive progress towards an equitable and thriving economy.”

The funding will also support Homeboy Industries’ Global Homeboy Network, a program that provides a blueprint for nearly 400 organizations and social enterprises around the world that are working to create therapeutic communities through job skills training, cost-free programs and services, and social enterprise employment. In addition to the financial donation, BMO employees will volunteer their time to provide financial literacy education, job skills training and mentorship. They will also provide academic, career and college readiness support at the Youth Re-entry Center.

“BMO’s generous support will engage thousands of former gang members each year from across Los Angeles who come through Homeboy Industries’ doors seeking to better their lives,” said Father Greg Boyle, Founder of Homeboy Industries. “It’s clear to me that BMO is serious about being a positive and engaged force in our community.”

“This partnership with BMO supports the expansion of our programs and impact at a time when we are helping more people in more ways than ever,” said Thomas Vozzo, CEO of Homeboy Industries. “We are grateful. This means more quality jobs for people for whom employment has been challenging. It also allows us to cast a wider net, sharing our model as we work with other organizations and individuals, advocating for marginalized populations, breaking the cycles of recidivism, and creating alternatives to incarceration.” 

BMO will also sponsor and participate in Homeboy Industries’ Global…