Sandhills Adult & Teen Challenge (ATC), headquartered in Moore County, has been awarded a second state grant with the help of Sen. Tom McInnis and Rep. Neil Jackson. The organization received $300,000 from the North Carolina General Assembly for 2024 for capital improvements. In 2021, the organization received $200,000, which was used to purchase two of its three properties that serve men in addiction.
Russ Cambria, President & CEO of Sandhills ATC, stated this most recent grant will be used to purchase a 28-acre property in Bladen County that houses the organization’s first nationwide Military Specialization Program. On the campus in Elizabethtown, NC, up to 15 veterans currently receive treatment for addiction and mental health issues within a faith-centered, residential, and highly structured 16-week program. Once $240,000 of this new grant is applied to the remaining mortgage, the group plans to spend the remaining $60,000 finishing its new 4,000 sq. ft. multipurpose building on the property, recently dedicated in memory of Nathan Horvatich.
Brian Decker, Chief Financial Officer for the organization, reiterates that thanks to McInnis and Jackson and the ongoing support of North Carolina’s General Assembly, Sandhills ATC can expand and help even more individuals each year. Donor funds can be spent on programming, scholarships, and other tangible needs rather than on a mortgage payment. Decker also stated that he is enthused at the level of trust elected officials have in the group’s ability to be good stewards of its resources. Since 2021, the state has entrusted Sandhills ATC with half a million dollars for program support and improvements.
Sandhills ATC is finalizing permits to open its first program for adult women in Sanford. This will be the organization’s fourth location in the state, allowing it to help 88 residents across four campuses. The leadership team aims to purchase the property debt-free and is raising the $350,000 needed to buy the building. Jennifer Toro has already been hired to lead this new center and will arrive in late April.
Contributed/Courtesy photo
