Teen Challenge of Southern California 
The information on this page was last updated 6/19/2024. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Since 1963, Teen Challenge of Southern California has brought restoration and healing to tens of thousands of men and women trapped in drug and alcohol addiction, and hope to their concerned family members. 10 regional locations and eight strategically placed residential facilities throughout Southern and Central California serve as beacons of hope to those needing life-transformation. The Teen Challenge residential program continues to be one of the largest and most effective substance abuse recovery and prevention programs of its kind.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Teen Challenge of Southern California
5445 Chicago Avenue
Riverside, CA 92507
Website: teenchallenge.org
Phone: 951-682-8990
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 952683852
CEO/President: Ron Brown
Chairman: Rich Guerra
Board size: 31
Founder: Rev. David Wilkerson
Ruling year: 1969
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 03/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1988
Purpose
"We have found a power that captures a person more strongly than narcotics, but He captures only to liberate." - founding vision of David Wilkerson
PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY
We serve our students, churches, volunteers, supporters, and communities.
We are ambassadors of a ministry of reconciliation.
Personal growth and constant improvement are essential.
Our lives teach more than our words.
We are committed to Excellence.
Mission statement
It is the mission of Teen Challenge to provide youth, adults and children an effective and comprehensive faith-based solution to drug and alcohol addiction as well as other life-controlling problems. We are committed to enabling and equipping those we serve to find freedom from addictive behavior, to become socially and emotionally healthy, physically well and spiritually alive. Teen Challenge reaches out to people from all backgrounds and gives back to local communities with outreaches, events, after-school programs and much more.
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Community Development
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 462 of 1115 | 40 of 108 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 186 of 1116 | 20 of 108 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 581 of 1116 | 49 of 108 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 734 of 1115 | 72 of 108 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 90% | 97% | 72% | 71% | 82% | 62% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 10% | 3% | 28% | 29% | 18% | 38% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 84% | 85% | 85% | 85% | 85% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 99% | 111% | 106% | 90% | 118% | 102% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 83% | 93% | 90% | 77% | 101% | 87% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 1% | -11% | -6% | 10% | -18% | -2% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 1% | -10% | -5% | 9% | -14% | -2% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.94 | 0.89 | 0.82 | 0.71 | 0.68 | 0.80 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.91 | 3.35 | 3.01 | 3.05 | 3.07 | 3.99 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.15 | 3.00 | 2.48 | 2.18 | 2.08 | 3.18 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 12.04 | 4.94 | 6.41 | 6.01 | 1.75 | 9.54 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.20 | 0.16 | 0.17 | 0.57 | 0.10 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.06 | 3.19 | 4.09 | 4.59 | 2.49 | 3.37 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 11% | 11% | 10% | 11% | 25% | 12% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 7% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 83% | 100% | 109% | 125% | 112% | 111% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $4,942,810 | $5,315,366 | $5,867,551 | $5,988,649 | $4,251,551 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $67,498 | $736,066 | $83,925 | $0 | $9,280 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $5,010,308 | $6,051,432 | $5,951,476 | $5,988,649 | $4,260,831 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $11,770,204 | $12,188,873 | $12,214,620 | $12,409,745 | $12,744,721 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $14,878 | $14,878 |
| Total long-term assets | $11,770,204 | $12,188,873 | $12,214,620 | $12,424,623 | $12,759,599 |
| Total assets | $16,780,512 | $18,240,305 | $18,166,096 | $18,413,272 | $17,020,430 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $1,014,360 | $944,024 | $990,295 | $972,585 | $446,705 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,441,407 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,014,360 | $944,024 | $990,295 | $3,413,992 | $446,705 |
| Debt | $700,173 | $798,878 | $912,968 | $1,037,104 | $1,187,077 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $95,448 | $95,448 | $83,248 | $80,108 | $379,472 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $795,621 | $894,326 | $996,216 | $1,117,212 | $1,566,549 |
| Total liabilities | $1,809,981 | $1,838,350 | $1,986,511 | $4,531,204 | $2,013,254 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | $12,228,743 | $13,331,173 | $12,888,695 | $10,797,109 | $11,909,839 |
| With donor restrictions | $2,741,788 | $3,070,782 | $3,290,890 | $3,084,959 | $3,097,337 |
| Net assets | $14,970,531 | $16,401,955 | $16,179,585 | $13,882,068 | $15,007,176 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $13,179,582 | $10,179,043 | $10,169,736 | $8,569,036 | $8,231,328 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,875,473 | $1,710,903 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | ($92,006) | $419,599 | $1,337,225 | $83,407 | $568,455 |
| Other revenue | $496,140 | $3,601,091 | $2,845,889 | ($20,999) | $2,773,412 |
| Total other revenue | $404,134 | $4,020,690 | $4,183,114 | $1,937,881 | $5,052,770 |
| Total revenue | $13,583,716 | $14,199,733 | $14,352,850 | $10,506,917 | $13,284,098 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $12,572,667 | $12,743,533 | $11,019,503 | $10,578,020 | $11,538,711 |
| Management and general | $2,158,628 | $1,990,923 | $1,727,832 | $1,646,434 | $1,804,698 |
| Fundraising | $283,845 | $257,935 | $216,785 | $205,676 | $225,951 |
| Total expenses | $15,015,140 | $14,992,391 | $12,964,120 | $12,430,130 | $13,569,360 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($1,431,424) | ($792,658) | $1,388,730 | ($1,923,213) | ($285,262) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($1,431,424) | ($792,658) | $1,388,730 | ($1,923,213) | ($285,262) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Ron Brown | Executive Director | $184,377 |
| Michael Mericle | COO | $127,353 |
Compensation data as of: 3/31/2024
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 6/19/2024. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Teen Challenge is the oldest, largest and most successful program of its kind in the world, and was founded over 50 years ago by Reverend David Wilkerson. It was Feb. 28, 1958 when the 26-year-old Pentecostal preacher from rural Pennsylvania disrupted a highly publicized murder trial in New York City. Wilkerson had made the eight-hour drive from his quiet mountain town to downtown Manhattan for a simple reason; to speak to the seven accused gang members about their salvation. In a grave attempt to share the love of God, Wilkerson rushed to the front of the courtroom at the close of trial proceedings and pleaded publicly with the judge for permission to meet the teenage defendants. News media were everywhere, and Wilkerson unwittingly made himself the source of headline news throughout New York City.
The judge had been receiving death threats during the trial, and Wilkerson was almost arrested as a presumed assailant. The judge later refused Wilkerson's request to see the boys and ordered him never to return to his courtroom. Wilkerson made more than the news back in 1958; five months after his discouraging day in court, his compassion for teen-age gangs and drug addicts began to make history. Since Wilkerson opened the first center in New York in 1960, Teen Challenge has grown to over 195 centers across the nation and over 550 centers worldwide. In 1971, Wilkerson founded a global evangelistic ministry, World Challenge. David Wilkerson died in 2011 at the age of 79. Teen Challenge, a ministry that he founded, continues to touch hurting people worldwide, bringing recovery to those trapped in addiction. The Teen Challenge residential program continues to be one of the largest and most effective substance abuse recovery and prevention programs of its kind.
Teen Challenge of Southern California was established in 1963 and now operates 10 regional facilities, including the one-year Ministry Institute and Timothy House, a residential home for adolescent boys. Each year, Teen Challenge of Southern California serves hundreds of thousands men, women and children through its resident and outreach programs.