David Wilkerson, founder of Adult & Teen Challenge, had a profound impact on former addict Jimmy Lilley. Lilley is a 1972 graduate of Adult & Teen Challenge who turned his life around and served with Wilkerson’s ministry World Challenge until retiring last year. Now a new scholarship will honor Lilley’s legacy and help students struggling to find freedom from addiction.
The Jimmy Lilley Scholarship, with an initial endowment gift of $350,000 from World Challenge, will recognize candidates who have demonstrated a strong desire to seek help for addiction to drugs or alcohol, but whom have been unable to receive treatment because of financial need. The deadline to apply for this year is Sept. 1. To apply or learn more, visit TeenChallengeUSA.org/Scholarship.
“We are very excited about this endowment and look forward to working with Jimmy in making this come to life,” said Gary Blackard, president and CEO of Adult & Teen Challenge. “The Lord has been generous with his provision, and this endowment will make it even easier for our centers to provide care to those in greatest need. This award could literally mean the difference of life and death to the recipient.”
“My father deeply loved and cared for teens who struggled with addiction. My hope is that those who are currently struggling and cannot afford to help themselves receive the counseling and treatment they need to turn their lives around will be able to do so through this scholarship,” said Gary Wilkerson, president of World Challenge.
The scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis and include programing, support and treatment through Adult & Teen Challenge.
About Adult & Teen Challenge
With more than 200 residential centers within the U.S. and Canada, Adult & Teen Challenge (ATC) is a faith-based nonprofit headquartered in Ozark, Missouri. Its mission is to provide adults and teens freedom from addiction and other life-controlling issues through Christ-centered solutions. Through effective discipleship, mentoring and life-skills training, ATC and its affiliates have seen positive outcomes and radical life-transformation throughout its 60-year history.
About World Challenge
Founded in 1971 by the late Rev. David Wilkerson—best-selling author of The Cross and the Switchblade—World Challenge is a Christian nonprofit organization that aims to transform lives through the message and mission of Jesus Christ. It is committed to sharing the Gospel through conferences, publications, literature distributions and mission outreaches. World Challenge works around the world in the most desperate areas by providing long-term, sustainable solutions to those living in poverty. For more information about World Challenge visit WorldChallenge.org.
