About

History

Our Story

Teen Challenge’s Springboard Home for Girls is a 3-6 month residential shelter for girls ages 12-17 and is licensed through the Arizona Department of Child Safety. Springboard’s doors opened in October of 1976 as a non-profit, temporary shelter care home, after Rev. Snow Peabody, the Executive State Director for Teen Challenge AZ, saw a need to reach out and help teens in crisis. Since that time, thousands of young ladies have gone through Springboard Home.

Teen Challenge began in 1958 when Rev. David Wilkerson, author of “The Cross and the Switchblade”, went to New York to reach teenage gang members with God’s love. There in the heart of the big city slums, Teen Challenge was born. Now there are over 1,000 Teen Challenge centers in 90 countries, helping not only teens, but also adults with life-controlling problems, mainly in the area of drug and alcohol use. Presently, in the State of Arizona, there are three adult men’s facilities, one women’s center with children and one center for adolescent girls, Springboard.

At Springboard, we aim to intentionally create an environment of love, grace, compassion, kindness, and peace. Our focus every day is on the lasting transformation of hearts, attitudes, thoughts, habits, and character. During our students’ 3-6 month stay, our goal is to see our students equipped for their maximum potential in their individual cultures at home and in the world.

Our Mission

We exist to help young ladies become mentally stable, emotionally balanced, socially adjusted, physically well, and spiritually alive!

About Us

Meet the Team

Rev. Candace Mayer

Director

Candace is a pastor credentialed with the Assemblies of God and is a Licensed Social Worker (LMSW). She has experience working with individuals in various aspects of mental health for the last eight years. She is a mother to three teenagers.

Patti Conner

Intake Coordinator/Center Supervisor

Patti has served as PR coordinator at Springboard since 2018 and recently switched over to her new position. She has extensive experience in the food and event industry, as well as directing pregnancy centers. She has been a part of children’s and teen ministries for over 20 years and has been serving as a Youth Leader at her current church for over 8 years now. She has a special place in her heart for young people because of her own experiences. She is responsible for assisting the Center Director in keeping Springboard running and bringing in new girls who need to be in our program.

Alicia Suarez

Biblical Counselor

Alicia has worked in a variety of youth programs ranging from camps, homeless shelters, and residential treatment centers for almost 15 years. She currently serves as one of our Biblical Counselors and oversees different aspects of the Springboard program.

Bryanna Vejar

Biblical Counselor

Bryanna has worked with children for 4 years and has been serving in the children’s ministry at her church for 6 years. She has served at her church’s youth ministry for the past year and is currently one of the high school and college girls’ community leaders. She has developed a passion for assisting young girls in their healing process motivated by the assistance she received from her youth pastors and leaders through her own healing journey.

Tove Benavidez

Public Relations

Tove has worked with kids and teens for 11 years serving in the local church. She completed three years of a ministry internship and graduated with her Associates Degree in Ministerial Leadership from Southeastern University. She assists in social media and donor development. She is also ahead of all Springboard events. Her heart is to see young women experience healing and wholeness through the power of Jesus.

Ginger Lubbers

House Manager

Ginger worked for almost 30 years in residential treatment for troubled youth in Wyoming, serving as the director of that facility for 15 of those years. She tried to retire from working with troubled youth, but God had a different plan for her. He brought her to Springboard where she currently serves as our House Manager.

Katrina Wisz

Curriculum Coordinator/Teacher

Katrina can relate to the girls on a personal level as her story was very similar to most of the girls we minister to. She has experienced healing in her own life and is passionate about helping the girls know their true identity in Christ. Katrina’s mission is to use her past as an encouragement for their future.

Julie West

Houseparent

Julie retired from Corporate Business after 45+ years to be more available to serve God. She joined Springboard in early 2023 as an overnight house parent. In Jesus, Julie has experienced emotional and physical healing with God’s ever-present unconditional love and amazing faithfulness. Julie wholeheartedly supports Springboard’s mission and is blessed to be part of the team to help the girls experience emotional, social, and physical healing at a young age so they can live their God-given destinies and purposes.

Carla Ash

Houseparent

After Carla retired in April of 2023 she didn’t know what God had planned for her. When Springboard came to her church to speak about the program she talked with them and thought “I will volunteer and see how it goes.” She volunteered for about two months and loved seeing the girls change. Soon she was hired and working with us! Carla worked with adolescents at her church for ten years, teaching them stories and the history of the Bible. As well as raising two children and three grandchildren. Before coming to work at Springboard, she was a dental lab tech for two years. She works very well with all ages!

Olivia Mundorff

Houseparent

Olivia started at Springboard as an intern from the University of Arizona pursuing her Master’s in Public Health. Through shadowing the program she grew to love it and wanted to become more involved, so she joined as a part-time houseparent. She is excited to be part of the team and witness how the love of Christ can truly change lives.

Azteca Rangel

Houseparent

Azteca is a college undergrad from Grand Canyon University majoring in Science of Sociology with a passion for pursuing a career under the broad umbrella of social work. The target population she aims to serve is teens. At a young age, God showed her the strengths she has in compassion and empathy through service and has put the desire in her heart to lean into these strengths while God leads her to where He needs her to work, hence why she ended up here at Springboard! Seeing His handiwork over her life and bringing her to this point has been amazing! She is eager to grow in experience at Springboard, working with all the girls God brings into her life, as well as expanding her walk and relationship with Christ!

Arcelia Denogean

Boutique Manager

Arcelia has lived in Tucson Arizona her whole life. She lives with her family and wonderful dog Gizmo. She has worked in retail for three years now. Arcelia has a huge passion for all things fashion and the Lord. She cannot wait to grow in her position at the boutique and is very excited about all the new things to come!

Volunteers

Ladies Guild

We have a Ladies’ Guild at Springboard Home that consists of a group of volunteers who help us plan and host events and work at Springboard. They bring dinner and hang out with our students at least once a month and many volunteer to do crafts, PE, or game nights with them.

Becky Jones

Guild President

Becky began to volunteer at Springboard about 4 years ago and is now currently leading our Ladies’ Guild. She hosts the guild meetings once a month and recruits new members. She loves on our students by cooking them meals and connecting with them. She also helps by serving at our front desk.

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Our Story

Our Mission

Meet the Team

Rev. Candace Mayer

Patti Conner

Alicia Suarez

Bryanna Vejar

Tove Benavidez

Ginger Lubbers

Katrina Wisz

Julie West

Carla Ash

Olivia Mundorff

Azteca Rangel

Arcelia Denogean

Ladies Guild

Becky Jones

Springboard Weekly Wisdom

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