50 YEARS OF HISTORY

Wilkerson trades gang member Nicky Cruz a Bible for a bat

Wilkerson and Cruz Today

In 1958, Pastor David Wilkerson reached out to troubled street youth in New York City. Teen Challenge was created to meet the needs of these youths. This is how the ministry of Teen Challenge began and has spread literally around the world.

Today, Teen Challenge is a non-profit, interdenominational, faith-based program operating in 82 countries, with over 1,000 autonomous locations internationally, and continues to grow at a dramatic pace worldwide.

The Teen Challenge story is told in the best-selling book and movie The Cross and the Switchblade.

For more information on Teen Challenge around the world, visit www.globaltc.org.

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide faith-based residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres funded by donations providing spiritual, academic and vocational training, equipping individuals to return to society as responsible citizens.

CORE VALUES

• We believe that the transformation process happens best in a long-term residential setting for people with substance abuse problems.
• We believe that all life-controlling drug addiction problems can be permanently overcome.
• We believe that a balance of love and accountability needs to permeate every aspect of the Teen Challenge residential setting for the individual to succeed in the program – and subsequently in society.
• We believe that God is the catalyst for change for people with life-controlling drug and alcohol problems.
• We believe that excellence best serves the people we help and therefore we are committed to excellence in everything we do.
• We believe that the people we serve are best helped with team work from all sectors of society including the staff, volunteers, government and the community at large.

SUCCESS RATE

In University-level surveys, the Teen Challenge model has a 70% success rate.

What does that mean? Five years after graduating (so among those who completed the 12-month residential program), 70% have never returned to drugs or alcohol.

That’s remarkable!