By: Julia Mericle
Assistant News Editor
Michael Gargano, ’10,’13, and Edwin Morris, current graduate student in the MSED Community Mental Health Counseling program at St. Bonaventure University, were granted a charter this week to start a chapter of The ManKind Project USA in Cattaraugus County.
The ManKind Project is a nonprofit organization that aims to build supportive communities for men to pursue goals in all facets of their lives. The communities are open to men of all faiths.
The group is currently at the level of “forming community,” meaning there are 10 or less people with the intention to sustain a community. The next stages are “developing community” and “sustaining community,” which is reached when 40 or more men commit to the group.
Morris attended a training program before starting the chapter.
“I found a very structured and caring system I had no idea could exist around developing men and their mission, and more importantly their introspection and growth,” Morris said.
According to Morris, the framework of the group consists of emotional authenticity, personal responsibility, leadership mastery, empowered mission, and supportive community.
“MKP USA creates a world where men act on their individual and shared responsibility for the future of humanity by initiating and supporting men on a path of emotional maturity, spiritual awareness and deepening community,” Morris said.
Gargano gives insight into his experience with the growing community, saying that his mission is to, “create a bright and safe world by empowering others to live authentically.”
According to Gargano, the two hope the group will spark interest in college students.
Interested men are encouraged to participate in “New Warrior Training Adventure,” a training weekend event. To join or receive more information, men can contact Gargano at garganomichael@gmail.com or Morris at ekmo64@gmail.com.
“College students have a very limited mindset as to what it means to be happy, to be successful, to be wise, to thrive,” Gargano said, “and I think with this training, meeting guys from as young as 18 to as old as 80, there is a collective wisdom.”
