Our History
Celebrating 50 Years and Counting
Founded in 1973
In the 1970s, local couple John and Nelda Nevels started taking troubled boys into their home in Morrow, Arkansas. This Christ-centered outreach was known as the King’s Ranch. In 1973, this ministry became affiliated with Teen Challenge USA, and became the first residential Teen Challenge program and addiction treatment exclusively for adolescent boys.
King’s Ranch grew and eventually moved to its current location in 1980. Because of the kindness and generosity of the people of Morrow, Arkansas, the ministry was allowed to move to 5 acres of land and buildings previously used by the Morrow Community School district. Later, an additional surrounding 30 acres were purchased for expansion. In 1993, the ministry changed its name to Teen Challenge Ranch of Northwest Arkansas.
Over the past 50 years, Teen Challenge Adventure Ranch has continued to grow. Today, it’s a 40-bed residential facility for teen boys ages 14-17. As a state-licensed, CARF-accredited treatment center, the facility is equipped to provide 24-hour care for teens struggling with substance abuse, serious mental health conditions, or maladaptive behaviors.
Our campus sits on a 31-acre ranch and includes the Full-Life Center for therapy and academics, Equestrian Center, Recreation Building, and two Dorms. Exterior facilities include a pond, low and high ropes courses with a zipline, a soccer field, disc golf, and basketball. Additionally, the facility owns and maintains a separate property bordering the national forest for outdoor adventure excursions.
Teen Challenge USA
Teen Challenge Adventure Ranch is an affiliate of a global, faith-based recovery program serving teens and adults. While our center operates as its own entity, we share the same foundation of biblical principles in faith-based recovery.
Teen Challenge was started in Brooklyn, New York 1958 by Rev. David Wilkerson. Wilkerson was a young country preacher pastoring a church in eastern Pennsylvania. One February afternoon, Wilkerson read an article in LIFE magazine about seven teenagers on trial for murder. During a gang fight in Manhattan, these teens beat a young man to death. Troubled by what he read in the article and sensing God wanted him to do something for the teens, Wilkerson made a trip from his hometown — away from the negative impact of friends and familiar places — to Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, to the urban area of New York City.
Sometime after this, Rev. Wilkerson resigned from his church in Pennsylvania and moved to the New York City area to work full-time with teenage gang members. This new work was eventually called “Teen Challenge.” Soon, Teen Challenge also offered help to those addicted to drugs and alcohol.
Since that day, the Teen Challenge ministry has spread across the United States and multiple countries worldwide. The ministry reaches out to individuals and their families. Centers have been established for men, women, boys, and girls.