Episode
The Power of Unrestricted Giving: How Melanie Lundquist Has Supported Homeboy for Over a Decade
- Podcast
- The Homeboy Way
- Published
- Apr 22, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2416
- Processing state
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Summary
Years ago, Homeboy Industries was experiencing financial hardship. In order to make payroll, Melanie and her husband Richard Lundquist received a call from a Homeboy Board member that resulted in a check with no strings attached. No restrictions. Just trust. In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with 2026 Lo Maximo KINSHIP Honoree Melanie Lundquist, longtime Homeboy Industries supporter, to uncover the story behind that trust. Melanie's father was raised in Boyle Heights, and she remains true to her roots, retaining her lifelong love of service to others. Melanie and her husband, Richard are Giving Pledge (https://www.givingpledge.org/) signatories, and for them, impact is not about perfect numbers. It is about walking with the most vulnerable, and investing in replicable models like Homeboy Industries, that create systemic change Key Takeaways Cherishing each other is a shared responsibility. If we had enough cherishing, there would be no need for Homeboy. Melanie subscribes to Warren Buffett's theory: money belongs to society; we're just temporary stewards. Systemic change requires replicable models. We live in a deeply broken system across education, justice, and healthcare. True success is not short term help. It is creating models that can replicate and drive change from the bottom up. Homeboy is a replicable model; dollars invested here reach far beyond LA. Homies belong at the table When people ask if Melanie has had "clients" at her dining room, she corrects them: "They're homies." She's proud to have them there. Your dollars build a model that helps people in Chicago, New York, and beyond. Kindness costs nothing but changes everything Yet we struggle to give it. As a philanthropist, Melanie says, "It's the biggest, most joyful journey o…