“We don't hire homies to bake bread, we bake bread to hire homies.”
— Father Greg Boyle
What once started as a modest bakery in 1992 in Boyle Heights has now grown into a movement. Today, Homeboy Industries encompasses more than 17 social enterprises, creating opportunities for formerly incarcerated and previously gang-involved individuals through job training, workforce development, and healing-centered support.Homeboy Bakery was the first of those enterprises, founded on a simple but powerful idea: meaningful work can be a pathway to transformation. More than three decades later, every loaf, pastry, and baked good continues to support that mission.
1992 | the beginning
Homeboy Bakery became Homeboy Industries' first social enterprise. Starting with eleven former gang members working side-by-side, the bakery quickly became a source of opportunity, purpose, and community. Together, they produced more than 3,000 loaves of bread each day for customers across Los Angeles.
1999 | A Major Setback
As demand grew and the bakery flourished, tragedy struck. A devastating fire destroyed the facility, leaving nothing salvageable. What had become a thriving enterprise was suddenly forced to stop.
2007 | Rising Again
Seven years later, Father Greg Boyle, alongside Homeboys, Homegirls, and countless supporters, broke ground on a new 21,000-square-foot facility. The reopening marked more than a new building. It was a testament to resilience, community, and the belief that second chances are always worth investing in.
Today | Growing the Mission
More than thirty years after opening its doors, Homeboy Bakery has expanded to serve over eighty wholesale vendors and markets throughout Los Angeles. What began as a neighborhood bakery now ships its beloved baked goods nationwide, bringing the taste—and mission—of Homeboy Bakery to customers across the country.
More than thirty years after opening its doors, Homeboy Bakery has expanded to serve over eighty wholesale vendors and markets throughout Los Angeles. What began as a neighborhood bakery now ships its beloved baked goods nationwide, bringing the taste—and mission—of Homeboy Bakery to customers across the country.
