MEN ON A MISSION

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford’s Men on a Mission is a group of men from the Greater Hartford region with a shared passion to shape the lives of young men.

Men on a Mission ensures young men in our Clubs have opportunities to learn responsibility, positive behavior, and develop good character through the Club’s Hoffman Auto Group Passport to Manhood, an innovative rite-of-passage program designed to guide boys ages 8-17 on their journey to manhood.

Adolescent boys growing up today face more challenges than ever before in their transition to adulthood. And for inner-city youth, overwhelmingly young men of color, those challenges are compounded by factors such as systemic racism, prejudice and stereotyping, the impact of trauma and violence, and disparities in educational and economic opportunities.

This past year has made it even worse for Hartford’s young men, many of whom face food and housing insecurity, social isolation, bullying, and difficulties with virtual learning.

Men on a Mission is a network of men (and women), which strives to ensure that all boys and young men have a foundation to make good choices, giving them the best chance to achieve the future they wish for themselves.

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

– Frederick Douglass

Your gift of $250 (made annually or monthly installments), is an investment in the boys participating in the Clubs Hoffman Auto Group Passport to Manhood a program that guides boys on their journey to manhood, giving our young men mentors, an outlet to express themselves, and focusing on building self-esteem and good decisions. And if you choose the monthly option, your gift will be matched 100%, thanks to a generous Men on a Mission member. (The first 60 monthly donors will have their gifts matched.)

As a Men on a Mission member, you receive regular updates on our boys in the Hoffman Auto Group Passport to Manhood program and opportunities to meet and engage with them. You also have the option to engage further through occasional mentoring that supports Passport To Manhood topics, such as career choices, dress for success, family life, self-care, and etiquette (subject to availability).

Congratulations to our 2021 Young Man of the Year, Ismael V. and Junior Young Man of the Year, Myles J.

About Hoffman Auto Group Passport to Manhood

The Hoffman Auto Group Passport to Manhood addresses critical issues that young men face in their passage from boyhood to manhood, such as ethics, decision-making, wellness, ideas about fatherhood, employment and careers, cooperation and conflict, diversity, relationships, and self-esteem. Participants use a “passport” to document their personal journey along with life’s experiences while connecting with adult male role models who offer support, guidance, and inspiration for the journey.

Passport to Manhood is built on three pillars:

• • • Building a Young Man’s Sense of Self & Purpose
    • A Sense of the Importance of Family
    • A Sense of Leadership and Responsibility to the Community

The goal of each boy’s journey is to become aware of his unique gifts, seek ways to contribute to his family and learn how to become a valuable member of the community.  Boys are encouraged by male mentors and peers and, at the end of their journey, have a greater sense of self and purpose, an increased awareness of their own inner resources, and a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man.

Additional support for Hoffman Auto Group Passport to Manhood provided by: