Teen Challenge of Maryland, Inc., a non-profit organization, has been headquartered at 6900 Central Avenue in Capitol Heights, Maryland since September 1978, having originated ten years earlier in the District of Columbia to help troubled youth overcome drug and alcohol abuse.

1997 continues the long-running reputation of Teen Challenge to open its doors to hurting people needing any of a variety of the following services being offered.

1. CRISIS INTERVENTION AND REFERRAL
Persons within and outside of the Metropolitan Washington Area call and visit our center for counseling, clothes, or food, along with an opportunity to decide whether they want to participate in either the residential program or a support group provided by Teen Challenge.

2. INDUCTION PHASE
This is available to men at least 18 years old who voluntarily seek assistance in overcoming their addictions to drugs or alcohol. The full-time four-month induction phase for the participants, called students, includes room and board, 24-hour supervision, up to 12 weeks of character development courses taught by a certified Teen Challenge instructor, individual counseling, vocational education, and team-sport recreation. The students who participate as part of an arrangement with the Court receive appropriate staff support and a common goal of once again becoming productive citizens. When space is not available to accommodate heavy demand for our program, we make referral for both men and women to other residential programs, including Teen Challenge centers elsewhere in the country.

3. TRAINING PHASE
A one-year residential program elected by the students and approved by the staff following completion of the induction phase is called the training phase, held at the Teen Challenge Training Center in Rehrersburg, Pennsylvania, a facility which receives students from Teen Challenge centers throughout the Eastern United States. In-depth character and personal development classes, along with academic and vocational improvement, are taught during this phase. Additionally, General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and remedial reading classes are offered.

4. RE-ENTRY
We provide temporary housing, personal and family counseling, and assistance in finding suitable employment for Teen Challenge graduates upon successful completion of the Teen Challenge program.

5. INNER-CITY OUTREACH
Puppet shows and inspirational concerts are presented in urban neighborhoods in the District of Columbia and Maryland as alternative entertainment for youth during the summer months.

6. FOOD DISTRIBUTION
Two local supermarkets regularly invite us to pick up their overstocks of bread and food, which are distributed to needy residents in the District of Columbia and suburban Maryland.

7. HOMELESS OUTREACH
Blankets and food, as well as survival needs, are delivered to the homeless in the Washington Metropolitan Area during winter months.

8. BUS TRANSPORTATION
More than 125 children living in the District of Columbia and suburban Maryland are provided bus or van transportation to different social activities. Transportation to church is also offered free of charge.

9. YOUTH MEETINGS
The Teen Challenge Center is used for youth rallies, meetings, and youth fund-raising events such as car washes for raising funds for summer camp participation.

10. ANTI-DRUG SEMINARS
More than 100 churches, schools, and community organizations are visited annually within the District, Maryland, and Virginia to assist in drug education and awareness.

11. JAIL/PRISON VISITS
Our team of 15 volunteers visits 6 correctional facilities throughout Maryland on a weekly basis. These volunteers visit and correspond with the inmates and offer an aftercare program for these inmates upon their release. Our prison coordinator often serves as the link between the inmates and the legal system in arranging for inmates to voluntarily enter several Teen Challenge Centers.

12. HOT MEALS
Annually, nearly 5,000 hot meals are served from our center in Capitol Heights to the students participating in our residential program and to those assisted through our various service components.

13. TURNING POINT PROGRAM
Every nine weeks, sessions of the Turning Point support groups begin at the Teen Challenge Center. Turning Point helps the families of those with life-controlling addictions and trains them to cope with the affected family member. Additionally, it is a support group for those who themselves have life-controlling problems.

14. HANDICAPPED SERVICES
Teen Challenge has been assisting two handicapped men with their needs. A blind man has been receiving free housing, meals, and transportation while a quadriplegic man receives mechanical maintenance on his specially-equipped vehicle.

15. RADIO PROGRAM
A 30-minute radio program is aired weekly on a local AM radio station. This air time is provided to Teen Challenge free-of-charge and features a message for hope for substance abusers and their families.

16. HISPANIC OUTREACH
Assistance to the Hispanic population in the Washington Metropolitan Area has been developed in which clothing and food are distributed weekly. Also health and legal fairs are regularly held for Hispanics to inform them of available health services and applicable laws in regard to such issues as immigration and employment.