Our History
Youth Challenge of Connecticut began in 1970 as a residential outreach center focusing on troubled young men and women in Hartford. The residential center gave these young people a sharing and caring environment in which to grow and develop personally and socially.
Bishop Raúl González came to Hartford in 1970 to help with Youth Challenge. In 1969 Bishop González had experienced freedom from an eleven-year drug addiction through a program similar to Youth Challenge and felt called to help others experience what he had. In 1972, Bishop González became the Executive Director of Youth Challenge of Connecticut, Inc.
Since that time, Youth Challenge of CT has remained committed to helping troubled young people and has continued to expand their programs in order to accommodate and better serve those trying to leave their old way of life. Youth Challenge now has a Men’s Residential Center in Hartford, a Mission for Women in Hartford, a Training Center in Moosup, CT and is hoping to expand their services to help teens through an Adolescent Program in Hartford. Youth Challenge’s activity has not been merely limited to the state of Connecticut but has reached to Florida, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Kenya, and Peru.
Currently 80% of Youth Challenge’s residents in Connecticut are voluntary, walk-in clientele, and 20% come through referrals made by community hospitals, courts, clergy, and correctional facilities. Youth Challenge’s open door policy welcomes men and women from every walk of life without regard to religious, ethnic, or racial background. Furthermore, Youth Challenge’s residential program is one of the few in the state qualified to accept Spanish-speaking substance abusers.
Through the years, Youth Challenge has achieved tremendous success, appreciating how much the staff, volunteers, supporters, program participants and family members give of themselves to make the hope of living a new, drug free, productive and meaningful life a reality.
Bishop Raúl González came to Hartford in 1970 to help with Youth Challenge. In 1969 Bishop González had experienced freedom from an eleven-year drug addiction through a program similar to Youth Challenge and felt called to help others experience what he had. In 1972, Bishop González became the Executive Director of Youth Challenge of Connecticut, Inc.
Since that time, Youth Challenge of CT has remained committed to helping troubled young people and has continued to expand their programs in order to accommodate and better serve those trying to leave their old way of life. Youth Challenge now has a Men’s Residential Center in Hartford, a Mission for Women in Hartford, a Training Center in Moosup, CT and is hoping to expand their services to help teens through an Adolescent Program in Hartford. Youth Challenge’s activity has not been merely limited to the state of Connecticut but has reached to Florida, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Kenya, and Peru.
Currently 80% of Youth Challenge’s residents in Connecticut are voluntary, walk-in clientele, and 20% come through referrals made by community hospitals, courts, clergy, and correctional facilities. Youth Challenge’s open door policy welcomes men and women from every walk of life without regard to religious, ethnic, or racial background. Furthermore, Youth Challenge’s residential program is one of the few in the state qualified to accept Spanish-speaking substance abusers.
Through the years, Youth Challenge has achieved tremendous success, appreciating how much the staff, volunteers, supporters, program participants and family members give of themselves to make the hope of living a new, drug free, productive and meaningful life a reality.
Youth Challenge of CT, Inc. 15-17 May Street; Hartford, CT 06105 Phone: 860-728-5199 Fax: 860-524-0418
