In 1985, the people of Rocky River created Community Challenge to address the problem of substance abuse by children and adolescents. The organization was initially formed as Rocky River Community Challenge, Inc. in response to a professional survey conducted in 1984. Initial start-up funding was provided by The Cleveland Foundation in 1986. In 1989, Community Challenge became a funded agency of the Alcohol and Drug Addictions Services Board of Cuyahoga County.  The Alcohol and Drug Addictions Services Board has renewed this grant every year since. In December of 1993 the name was changed to Community Challenge in order to allow for opportunities for expansion and to address emergent needs across other West Shore communities. 

Since December of 1993, the Board of Trustees has engaged in periodic retreats and strategic planning to evaluate the effectiveness of the organization.  The most recent strategic plan was drawn up in May of 2004 with the help of the Community Challenge board, staff, and nearly 100 community members from six suburbs.  The new strategic plan included a revised mission, vision, values, and goals.  The mission states that:  Community Challenge strives to prevent the use/abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by Cleveland’s West Shore community with community programs promoting healthy life choices.

On January 1, 2008, based on a decision of the Board, Community Challenge formed a strategic partnership with Recovery Resources, one of Ohio’s leading mental health, alcoholism, and drug treatment/prevention agencies. In the face of an increasing demand for services, escalating costs, restrictions on reimbursements, and increasing competition for contributed income from gifts and grants, this strategic partnership has provided an opportunity for both sustainability of current services and for future growth. Community Challenge and Recovery Resources have continued to provide high quality substance abuse prevention programs for students, families and educators in Rocky River and other West Shore communities, and look forward to new opportunities for expansion.