Who We Are

Hooked on Fishing Not on Violence (HOFNOV) is a Sacramento-based, high-impact, community-focused nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing violence, reducing justice involvement, and supporting youth ages 12–26 through relationship-based intervention, leadership development, and healing-centered support.

Since 2011, we’ve helped young people reconnect with purpose, build real-world skills, and access the resources they need to thrive.

What We Do

We meet youth where they are — in the community, in crisis, and at turning points in their lives — and help them move toward stability, confidence, and opportunity.

Our Core Programs

• Street Outreach & Intervention
  Trusted presence, conflict interruption, crisis response, and mentorship.

• Youth Leadership Development
  Life skills, communication, accountability, and personal growth.

• Jr. CEO Entrepreneurship Program
  Hands-on business training for youth with a final vendor fair to showcase their work.

• Healing-Centered Activities
  Fishing trips, mentoring circles, workshops, outdoor experiences, and restorative support.

• EGI: Ending Girls’ Incarceration
  Gender-responsive case management and diversion support for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 14–24 — including CSEC survivors.

Our Approach

We combine community culture with trauma-informed practices to create pathways away from violence and toward healing.

• Culturally responsive

• Youth-led

• Trauma-informed

• Survivor-informed (CSEC)

• Family-engaged

• Community-rooted

We are the organization youth can trust — because we show up.

Our Impact

• 14+ years serving Sacramento youth

• Consistent outreach presence in high-need neighborhoods

• Hundreds of youth diverted from justice involvement

• 8 Cohorts of youth-led businesses launched through Jr. CEO

• Strong partnerships expanding our reach and support