Rise Up Industries was founded in 2013 by several people who volunteered with Kairos Prison Ministry at RJ Donovan Correctional Facility. On a fateful day, Father Greg Boyle, author of Tattoos on the Heart, came to speak at RJ Donovan. Father Greg founded Homeboy Industries, the largest, most successful gang intervention and reentry program in the world. Joe, our Executive Director, asked Father Greg if any programs like Homeboy existed in San Diego. Father Greg looked at Joe and said, “No. Why don’t you start one?”