Restore INK

During my time at Homeboy Industries I was fortunate enough to meet Pastor Kyle Blake of the Gathering Lutheran Church in my hometown City of Long Beach, California. After my transition out of Homeboy, Pastor Blake approached me about starting an organization that would serve the same demographic as Homeboy, but within the geographical areas of Long Beach and the Los Angeles port. At first I was apprehensive because I had an understanding of how difficult and how challenging it would be to start an organization from the ground up that would serve the gang impacted and the formerly incarcerated. When we decided that we would move forward, we brought in another formerly incarcerated and gang impacted individual from the city of Long Beach, Miguel Lugo, and the three of us founded Restore INK, an organization that will serve gang-impacted and formerly incarcerated people that are looking for a way, and a place to restore their lives.

Watch the video below to learn more about Jose Osuna & Miguel Lugo, two of the Co-Founders of Restore INK:

CNN talks to Father Boyle, Jose, and other Homeboy staff…

The Name

Many people ask what the name represents. We stand for the restoration of Identity, Narrative, and Kinship, both for the individual and the community. Thus, the INK in Restore INK.

Mission Statement:

Restore INK is a community founded on kinship and support for formerly incarcerated and gang impacted individuals, and their families. We seek to empower these individuals through a process of healing and rehabilitation, so that they may make a positive impact in society.

Vision Statement:

To restore Hope for all people.

Our Three Restorative Breakthroughs:

Identity: Restore Identity – A person is not defined by their past but by who they were created to be. We seek to walk with individuals and help them to realize that they were given gifts, purpose, and identity. We help them realize this and live into it.

Narrative: Restore Narrative – We all have a story and our story doesn’t end with incarceration or affiliation but begins with the new life we choose to live into. We make the next chapter in a person’s story possible.

Kinship: Restore Kinship – We are all human, we all matter, we all have value, and we all are a gift to the communities around us.

The Model:

We will fulfill our mission through mental, physical, and spiritual rehabilitative services, academic and vocational training opportunities, and the continuous growth of our community of kinship through the people we serve.

If you would like to know more about Restore INK please visit our social media sites:

https://www.facebook.com/restoreink

https://www.instagram.com/restoreink/

We have now launched our website: http://www.restoreink.org