Cape Fear Teen Challenge, located at 1456 Lula Long Road in Elizabethtown, has closed its doors to accepting new residents. Teen Challenge is a long-term, residential, faith-based rehabilitation program for women. In the past, the center’s director stated their program has an 88% success rate of students remaining sober after graduating from the center’s 12-month program.
The local center’s Director, Holly Loyer, turned in her resignation on Monday, June 14, 2021, according to the non-profits’ board members.
*Today, Chairman of the Board, Jay Ammon, said, “We are restructuring the Board and the management at the Elizabethtown center. Residents needing treatment are being transferred to another center.” He also noted that staff members and a board member remain at the facility to help with maintenance and upkeep.
BladenOnline staff and the Bladen County Substance Misuse Task Force Director Dr. Cathy Gantz have requested financial reports from Cape Fear Teen Challenge for months. The requests were made because the local non-profit receives financial support from the task force, Bladen County, and dedicated community members. During a meeting, one task force member, Connie Holland, explained if the financial reports were made available, people would be more apt to give because of the transparency.
In May, Loyer told BladenOnline staff through an email, “We are currently in the process of compiling our Annual 2020 financial report and would be glad to make that available once completed.”
**In 2020, Holly Loyer received checks totaling $14,550 from Bladen County for Cape Fear Teen Challenge. Holly and her husband, Francis Samuel “Frank” Loyer, were also the directors of Albemarle Teen Challenge located at 904 Colonial Avenue in Elizabeth City. Albemarle Teen Challenge located at 104 Main Street in Elizabeth City.
According to the Cape Fear Teen Challenge Board Secretary, Lori Byrd, the Albemarle Teen Challenge in Elizabeth City has also been closed.
“We are on pause right now,” Byrd said today when BladenOnline paid a visit to the Cape Fear Teen Challenge location. Byrd is staying part-time at the Elizabethtown location to help with the restructuring.
Gary Blackard with the national organization of Teen Challenge recently came to the Elizabethtown location to meet with the Board members.
“We want accountability,” Bryd said.
Mary Ammon, the new Treasurer of the Cape Fear Teen Challenge Board, confirmed today she had requested an official audit of the financials for Cape Fear Teen Challenge. According to Ammon, once the audit report is complete, the non-profit will release the information to BladenOnline.
“We want to be 100% transparent,” Ammon said.
“This is one of the best programs in the nation,” Chairman Ammon stated. Ammon and the other Board members expressed their dedication to reopening the facility in Elizabethtown once the restructuring is complete.
According to the national Teen Challenges’ website, there are more than 200 residential centers within the US and Canada, and they are a faith-based, non-profit headquartered in Ozark, Missouri.
* When first published the name Ammon was misspelled.
** When first published BladenOnline listed an address for the Albemarle Teen Challenge as found on a reputable website, however the Board reported the correct address is 104 Main Street and the address found on the website was the home of the Director Holly Loyer.
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