John 3:16 expansion to help 316 people seeking treatment

CHARLOTTE, Ark. (KAIT) - A Northeast Arkansas rehabilitation facility will add an additional 40 beds to its campus.

John 3:16 Ministries held a ribbon cutting Tuesday afternoon for its new multi-purpose facility on its campus in the Independence County town of Charlotte.

After completion, John 3:16 will be able to house 316 residents, which Director Bryan Tuggle said was their plan all along.

Tuggle said over the years, drugs and alcohol have changed, but one thing has remained: addiction.

“There’s absolutely been no end in 20 years,” Tuggle said.“It used to be mainly meth and alcohol. Now it’s mostly fentanyl and opioids.”

John 3:16 Resident Trace Tilton said because of the program, he’s on track to beating his addiction and turning his life around.

“Someone told me that John 3:16 would give me a new life,” Tilton said. “I decided to come, and it did just that.”

With the new addition, Tilton said more men like him would be able to get help.

“Means the world to me,” he said. “It means we’re bettering ourselves as a community through Christ.”

The ministry has plans in the future to accept women in addition to men.

Tuggle said helping both men and women during their darkest times will help families avoid addiction in the future.

“You get the man right, and when the ladies start coming, you get the ladies right. Then you have the whole family right,” he said. “Now we’re raising our children up to where they’ll never turn to alcohol or drugs.”

Work on the facility is expected to wrap up in the next few months.

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