Elkhart rehabilitation center needs help with expansion project

• Over the past five years it has helped hundreds in Elkhart overcome drug addiction and soon, plans are underway to more than quadruple that amount.

 
The North Central Indiana Teen Challenge is a faith-based rehabilitation center. They currently serve 23 men suffering from addiction.
 
Last spring they started building a bigger facility that will allow them to serve an additional 96 recovering addicts.
 
 “I was a meth addict for 15 years. I manufactured methamphetamine for about seven years,” says Eric Frakenbergerr a former addict.
 
This behavior had Frankenberger in and out of jail for almost a decade. His previous mug shots show a frail man who couldn’t get help.

“Jail is not helping anyone with drugs. Ya know an addiction is an addiction and so you go to jail and do your time and get out you go right back to drugs,” says Frankenberger.
 
Frankenberger made the decision to break that cycle by coming to Teen Challenge in Elkhart.
 
“For the first time in my life I am actually living I am 34 years old and I am living life now and I am happy,” says Frakenberge.
 
This center rehabilitates males ages 18 and older.
 
Using faith based lessons; counselors transition the guys back into the real world by helping with life skills.

The demand for a spot in the 23 bed center has been high.
 
“Some weeks we turn away anywhere from two to ten. When we are full there is only so much we can do,” says Andy Collins, Executive Director at North Central Indiana Teen Challenge. 
 
Collins says this new facility being constructed will cost about $2.5 million in order to help an additional 96 men.
 
And today they are about $700,000 short of their goal.  
 
“So we are still fund raising really believing that God is going to bring that money one way of another before we can finish out the plan of having the building, “says Collins. 
 
Frankenberger along with other students hold on to their faith for the sake of guys they can relate to all too well.

“It’s a house full of grace and love ya know by other addicts that have gone through the same stuff.  There’s hope out there for the Meth addict and drug addict in Elkhart,” says Frankenberger. 
 
If you would like to help you can contact Teen Challenge in Elkhart. 

They say monetary donations are always nice and they are also looking for volunteers to help with the construction to finish by late spring.