Teen Challenge
by Lorine Parks
“Things can change. There is hope”
That is the optimistic creed of Teen Challenge.
Cheryl Hunt, the assistant operations manager for Los Angeles County Operations, told us about the program, and its voluntary one-year residential recovery facilities for teen-age alcohol and drug abusers. Of the eight locations in Southern California, with a total of 530 beds, one of the centers is located near Downey, on Euclid Avenue in Lynwood. Cheryl asked, if we know anyone who needs help, to encourage the young person to call and get freedom from the addiction. Phone number is (310) 644-3695.
The program, as it states on Cheryl’s card, is “a missional movement that unashamedly follows Christ, embraces servant leadership and shares transforming grace.” The “Jesus Factor” is the reason, Cheryl said, for their success.
Three young women who had shared lunch with us got up and gave testimonials as to how Teen Challenge had turned their lives around. One of them said that when she was 19, a young single mother, all her money was going to support her habit. Teen Challenge gave her a safe place to detox and work out her problems, and re-enter society with a job and an education. Today she is a contributing member of society.
Throughout the presentation, the emphasis was on the services that Teen Challenge provides. When personal addictions are overcome, benefits also spread to the community, by reducing drug-related crime.