'Victor the Good Boss' bringing hope to Skid Row
"Victor the Good Boss" bringing hope
Victor Oliveira traveled from Boston to Skid Row to help two people leave the streets and enter addiction treatment. Oliveira, a former addict who now runs outreach efforts, says he has helped more than 100 people enter treatment and inspired others to seek recovery through his videos.
LOS ANGELES - Victor Oliveira, better known online as "Victor the Good Boss," arrived on Skid Row with a mission: help two people leave the streets and begin treatment for addiction.
"I'm going to get some people off the streets," Oliveira said.
The Boston-based outreach worker has spent the last six years traveling across the country helping people struggling with addiction and homelessness. Along the way, he has built a social media following of more than one million people who watch his efforts to connect people with treatment and recovery services.
"I have two people who are ready to go and have contacted me," Oliveira said. "So I flew all the way from Boston just to come and grab them."
As he walked through Skid Row, several people recognized him from his videos.
"I saw your content, thank you so much," one woman told him. "It is hard for these people to get off drugs. It's really hard."
Oliveira says his work is personal. He is a former drug addict and convicted felon who turned his life around and now dedicates his time to helping others do the same.
He estimates he has personally helped more than 100 people enter treatment and says his videos have inspired thousands more to seek help.
"We've gotten people into treatment just by the videos," Oliveira said. "People tell me, 'I went into treatment today because of your videos.'"
One of those success stories is Chandler Herring. He was living on the streets in Santa Ana when Oliveira approached him on Christmas Day in 2025.
"He asked me if I wanted to get off the street, and I said absolutely," Herring said. "I have kids."
Herring said Oliveira flew him to Florida, where he completed a 30-day treatment program. Today, he works with Oliveira's nonprofit, Fresh Start, helping others begin their own recovery journeys.
"I knew he was a man of his word," Herring said. "It just changed my life."
This time, Oliveira's focus was on a couple living in Skid Row: Maddie and Ryan.
"You have to really want it," Oliveira told them. "If you don't want it, it's not going to work."
Both accepted the opportunity and said they were ready to leave street life behind.
"It's scary. It's lonely. It's not safe," Ryan said. "You never know what's going to happen next, and I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy."
"I'm just really excited that they chose us to have the opportunity," Maddie said.
With their belongings packed, the couple left for separate treatment centers, hoping to begin a new chapter free from addiction and homelessness.
Oliveira says participants who complete treatment can receive financial assistance to help them transition back into society. The funds can be used for housing, medications and other essential needs, with safeguards in place to ensure the money is not spent on drugs or alcohol.
For Oliveira, the work continues. For Maddie and Ryan, the next chapter is just beginning.
Here is a link to Oliveira's Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/victorthegoodboss/