| Teen Challenge International
Teen Challenge
International, headquartered in Springfield, Mo., was founded by
David Wilkerson in Brooklyn, NY, in 1958. There are now 150 Teen
Challenge centers in the United States, with approximately 3,000
residential beds in U.S. centers. The majority of these centers operate
one-year, faith-based, residential programs. Including international
outreach, Teen Challenge International has 250 centers in more than 67
countries of the world. Teen Challenge is a nonprofit, tax-exempt,
charitable, Christian organization.
Teen Challenge accepts people from teenagers to senior citizens into
their programs.
Teen Challenge goals are to:
• provide community-based drug education, prevention and restoration
programs,
• create a framework that challenges people to reach their fullest
potential - spiritually - socially - educationally - occupationally,
• develop and nurture the transformation of restored individuals into
useful, productive, law-abiding citizens who are committed to Christian
faith, values and living.
Independent studies have shown the Teen Challenge program to
consistently have an 86-percent success rate. In June, 1999, research
done by Northwest University Illinois, found that 86-percent of those
who complete the Teen Challenge program have remained drug free three
years post graduation from the program.
President Ronald Reagan said about Teen Challenge: “I speak from more
than 20 years of knowledge of the organization when I tell you Teen
Challenge works. It’s effective, it’s literally changing the lives of
young Americans from every walk of life. The work and dedication of
Teen Challenge deserves the commendation of every citizen.”
Teen
Challenge of Kentucky
In 1997, Rev. V. Clayton Arp, who had taken a year and a
half sabbatical from full-time ministry, moved to Louisville and began
to build a new vision for Teen Challenge in Kentucky as the state’s director.
By using referrals to other states’ Teen Challenge centers, Arp can
concentrate on correctional ministry, help to women in crisis, and a
new twist for Teen Challenge - the Lifeline program - a more rural
approach to recovery ministry. The Lifeline
program has taken root in Paducah and Salem, Ind.
“We’ve got a good foundation now, and we’ve got a beautiful
residential center just about paid for,” said Arp. The women’s center number is 502-561-2132.
|
|
