FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: Christina Cano, Christina.Cano@cv.ca.gov, (279) 224-2907

State Joins YMCA LA to Call on 10,000 Men to Serve and Lead in California Men’s Service Challenge

What you need to know: California Volunteers, Office of the Governor with YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles is calling on 10,000 men to step up as mentors, coaches and tutors and invites partners across the state to join in this movement. Additionally, a $5 million state investment will support the California Men’s Service Challenge, which inspires service, leadership and community engagement among Californian men.

LOS ANGELES — Today, Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GO-Serve) Director Josh Fryday joined the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, Assemblymembers Jesse Gabriel and Mark Gonzalez, and Senator Caroline Menjivar to spotlight the California Men’s Service Challenge in Los Angeles.

The statewide effort, supported by a $5 million state investment, calls on men to step up and serve their communities as mentors, coaches and tutors through the California Service Corps, partner organizations and volunteer efforts.

“California is committed to the long-term success pathways for young boys and men. This investment in our communities will contribute to uplifting the next generation of leaders,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

The California Men’s Service Challenge builds on Governor Newsom’s recent executive order responding to rising suicide rates, disconnection and declining college attendance among young men and boys to address the mental health crisis while creating new pathways to purpose, leadership and belonging.

“Across California, young men lack connection and direction, while they are desperately needed to serve in their communities,” said GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday. “Through service, we can help them find purpose, build careers and make a real difference.

For this effort, California Volunteers, Office of the Governor is partnering with leaders already doing the work including the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, Improve Your Tomorrow, Big Brothers Big Sisters, MENTOR California, the Giants Community Fund and the American Institute for Boys and Men.

California Men’s Service Challenge participants will engage young men directly, helping them build connections to education, careers and community. The effort advances Governor Newsom’s broader commitment to create more pathways for youth success. By combining service with mentorship and skill development, the initiative provides a sustainable model to ensure young men feel valued, supported and equipped to thrive.

The state’s $5 million investment will create more new paid service opportunities over the next two years. These will be combined with thousands of volunteer opportunities and existing paid California Service Corps positions to offer near-peer mentorship by pairing young people with mentors close in age or life stage.

The California Men’s Service Challenge builds on the California Service Corps, the largest service force in the nation, which empowers Californians to tackle the state’s toughest challenges while building skills for the future. Together with local partners, schools and community organizations, this new effort will ensure more young men see themselves as leaders with the power to create lasting change.

For more information, go to MensServiceChallenge.com.

Path and purpose

In July, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to address a growing issue — the alarming rise in suicides and disconnection among California’s young men and boys. The order directs a coordinated statewide response to improve mental health outcomes, reduce stigma and expand access to meaningful education, work and mentorship opportunities. The full order can be found here.

The executive order helps address this crisis, directing state agencies to create a new focus on this issue and creating new pathways to help reconnect men and boys with the support, assistance and help they need.

The crisis of loneliness

Young men are more disconnected from school, work and relationships than ever before, with nearly one in four men under 30 years old reporting that they have no close friends, a five-fold increase since 1990, with higher rates of disconnection for young Black men. A lack of social connection is associated with increased risk of poor health, including mental health disorders, poverty and even premature death.

This disconnection has pulled men out of the workplace. Labor force participation among men without a college degree is currently at historic lows, with about one in nine men aged 25-54 neither working nor looking for work. The unemployment rate for men in California is also higher than the rate for women, and college enrollment and completion rates for men have dropped significantly over the past decade.

How we got here

Since taking office in 2019, Governor Newsom has been focused on building a California for All, investing in efforts to make government work for everyone by reaching underserved communities and demographic groups, expanding access to services that meet people’s basic needs so they can focus on pursuing opportunities and advancement and actively assessing disparities in opportunity and outcomes to more effectively deliver governmental services to all intended beneficiaries.

RELATED FOOTAGE:

INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH: GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday. Christina Cano, Christina.Cano@cv.ca.gov, (279) 224-2907

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom:
“Our boys are growing up in a time when too many feel disconnected and unseen. Women and men may face different challenges, but we share a responsibility to lift up the next generation and that work will take all of us. The California Volunteers Men’s Service Challenge calls on 10,000 young men to step forward as mentors and coaches, offering the care and connection that can combat isolation and build belonging. In doing this work, we embody the very best of California, lifting up the next generation and reshaping our culture for the better.”

Victor Dominguez, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles President and CEO:
“Now more than ever, there is a need for boys and young men to feel a sense of purpose and connection. As the Center for Community Well-Being across the LA region, the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles knows the power of service in shaping healthier, more connected communities and has long been a source of great mentorship and volunteerism. The LA Y is proud to partner with the California Men’s Service Challenge to call on our male Californians to join in, inspire service and to foster roles that inspire leadership, resilience and build brighter futures for all.”

Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez:
“In Los Angeles, every day we see how mentorship and community can change lives. The California Men’s Service Challenge is about reminding our young men that they matter — that their leadership, compassion and service can shape the future of our neighborhoods. I’m proud to stand with the Governor, First Partner, California Volunteers and the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles as we call on 10,000 young men across California to step up, serve others and strengthen our communities.”

Senator Caroline Menjivar:
“I grew up participating in predominantly male dominated fields. I saw the difference mentorship and programs in service and leadership made in the lives of my male counterparts. From police and fire cadet programs to working as an EMT to the military, their lives were transformed. I’m proud to resonate the call for 10,000 men to join in leading our communities as part of the California Men’s Service Challenge. Our investment in Californian men shows that we expect great things out of them and we know this support will be transformational for those who need an extra push to reach their full potential.”

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About California Volunteers, Office of the Governor 
California Volunteers, under GO-Serve, empowers Californians to take action to improve their communities. California Volunteers is the state office tasked with recruiting Californians to engage in public service.