Women’s group supports boy’s mentoring nonprofit | Community Focus

Giving boys a helping hand along the rocky road to manhood is the goal of Boys to Men of Greater Phoenix, a local nonprofit that provides trained male mentors in a school setting.

The mentors don’t tutor, yet the boys they meet see their grades improve. They don’t tell them what to do, yet the boys have fewer behavioral issues.

Boys to Men volunteers are men and women who believe every boy deserves a chance to succeed. They take a stand for the next generation of boys, supporting them as they move toward successful manhood.

As a 90% volunteer organization, it trains men to create a safe place where boys 13- 18 can be authentic and discover their truth.

Boys to Men is a 501c3 affiliated with Boys to Men USA. The work began in San Diego 22 years ago and continues to follow the tradition that it is the community’s adults who are responsible for guiding the next generation.

To get results, they work with a group of boys for one hour a week, during the school day, beginning in 7th grade and following them into high school. 

They combine a proven group mentoring model with a goal-oriented, boy-focused motivational interviewing process that allows boys to discover their inner resources and to develop emotional intelligence.

Men support the boys as they face the obstacles that stand in the way of becoming good men. They will challenge the boys’ stories, attitudes, and choices, while guiding them in learning integrity, accountability, and compassion.

Mentors model healthy masculinity without fixing or rescuing the boys. They shine a light on what’s true about each boy, inviting him to step into being the man he knows he can become.

Trained mentors listen, accept, and encourage the boys as they step into positive change that will serve them during this challenging stage of development.

Together with their school partners, Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts, they reduced total days of suspension in a year by 45%.

Marni Anbar shared this nonprofit with her 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun group in Ahwatukee. The members were moved by her presentation and selected the charity to receive their quarterly donations.

Boys to Men was awarded $15,050 which will help the organization go into more schools and impact more boys.

“We are excited to launch a new Girls to Women program in early 2024 with the plan to expand to our other school next school year. We need women and men willing to volunteer for as little as one hour a week in order grow our capacity to serve more kids 12-18,” said Executive Director Steve Murphy.

“This donation will help us with this expansion.”

Since 100+ Women Who Care’s inception in 2015, almost $1.2 million has been donated to local charities. To learn more or to register for their upcoming giving circle on Jan. 23, visit 100wwcvalleyofthesun.org.

To learn more about Boys to Men of Greater Phoenix, visit boystomenphoenix.org.