Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Volunteer At Homeboy Industries Charity

Free for Editorial Use Only. See terms of release, which must be included and passed-on to anyone to whom this image is suppliedMandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Shutterstock (9687843c)This official wedding photograph released by the Duke and Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, shows - the Duke and Duchess pictured together on the East Terrace of Windsor Castle.The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Official Portraits, Windsor, Berkshire, UK - 19 May 2018News Editorial Use Only. No Commercial Use. No Merchandising, Advertising, Souvenirs, Memorabilia Or Colourably Similar. Not for Use After 31 December 2018 Without Prior Permission From Kensington Palace. No Cropping. Copyright in the photograph is vested in The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Publications are asked to credit the photograph to Alexi Lubomirski. No charge should be made for the supply, release or publication of the photograph. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. — Image Credit: REX/Shutterstock

Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, seem to be settling into Los Angeles life just fine! The Duke and Duchess of Sussex volunteered at their first charity of the summer, Homeboy Industries, on June 23 and happily posed for photos with the staff during their exciting visit. The L.A. based social justice organization started in 1988 and aims at improving the lives of formerly incarcerated and previously gang-involved people, and Harry and Meghan both helped in the café and bakery during their time there.

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Thank you to Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for visiting and standing in kinship with our Café and Bakery teams yesterday! Our staff was thrilled to work alongside them as they helped prepare food and learned more about our newly launched #FeedHOPE program, which employs our program participants to provide meals to food-insecure seniors and youth across Los Angeles in the wake of the #COVID19 pandemic. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ For 32 years, Homeboy Industries has stood as a beacon of hope in Los Angeles to brave men and women seeking to transform their lives after gang-involvement and incarceration. Each year, we provide support to nearly 9,000 individuals through job training and free services such as tattoo removal, mental health services, GED classes, legal services, and more. Above all, we provide space for our clients to heal from intergenerational cycles of violence in a community of radical compassion. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’d like to help provide second chances to brave men and women and their families, visit our website and stand with us at the link in our bio. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📷 Credit: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

A post shared by Homeboy Industries (@homeboyindustries) on Jun 24, 2020 at 10:16am PDT

“Yes, The Duke and Duchess joined the Homegirls and Homeboys working in the café and bakery for a session of cooking and conversation,” a spokesperson at Homeboy Industries told HollywoodLife. “Together they prepared food for the #FeedHOPE program, which employs Homeboy participants to provide meals to food-insecure seniors and youth across Los Angeles in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic.”

The official Homeboy Industries Instagram account shared photos of Harry and Meghan’s visit and credited the couple for the great snapshots. In one pic, the royal husband and wife can be seen wearing black face masks, hair coverings, and gloves while posing with the staff near laid out pieces of dough and in others, they are helping with the dough and filling several containers with ready-to-go food.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (REX/Shutterstock)

In the caption for the Instagram post, Homeboy Industries thanked Harry and Meghan for stopping by and helping with their Feed Hope program and expressed their excitement about the special day. Some staff members also released individual statements about their experiences with the Duke and Duchess.

“It was remarkable to share our Feed Hope program with Harry and Meghan today,” Mariana Enriquez, the manager of the Homegirl Café, said. “They are both down to earth and kind. The staff was honored they took the time to see us, hear us and walk on our journey today. We will never forget it.”

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were just ‘Harry and Meghan’ to the homies,” Father Greg Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries, explained. “They rolled up their sleeves and deeply engaged with our workers in the Bakery and Café. It was immediate kinship and heartening in its mutuality.”

“With their visit, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex saw the dignity and power that comes from having a job,” said Homeboy Industries’ CEO, Thomas Vozzo. “At Homeboy, through our social enterprise businesses, people can continue to heal and they work, learning skills and changing their lives, changing their families and changing communities.”

The Duchess of Sussex has spoken out about the “absolutely devastating” death of George Floyd in a message to students at LA’s Immaculate Heart High School, her alma mater. Meghan told the class of 2020: “George Floyd’s life mattered…I know you know that black lives matter.” pic.twitter.com/qe7ZxvAk45

— Roya Nikkhah (@RoyaNikkhah) June 4, 2020

Although Harry and Meghan’s visit may seem like a spontaneous one, it turns out Meghan has a bit of history with the incredible organization and has worked with them before. Father Greg Boyle worked with Meghan’s old high school, Immaculate Heart High School, and she and her mother Doria Ragland, actually joined Father Boyle for a cooking workshop with Homeboy almost 20 years ago. In fact, Meghan still remembers the tamale recipe she learned from the workshop.

Harry and Meghan’s visit to Homeboy Industries comes in the midst of social justice once again making its way into the worldwide spotlight due to the tragic death of George Floyd. Meghan talked about Floyd and racism during a commencement speech she filmed for her old high school on June 3 and admitted she thought the state of America was “devastating” right now. She also expressed her sympathy for the graduating seniors and the fact that they have to witness racial injustice to this day. She ended the video message by stating her belief in the students and said encouraging words that assured them they can make the world a better place in the future.