CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Family Friends took its funding plea to Cleveland last week.

Director Sonny Moss said Family Friends is a program to help children who exhibit troubling behavior and their families. He said Family Friends has been here for more than 15 years and has been highly successful at keeping children out of state custody.

It was funded through federal and state grants but lost that money this year, Mr. Moss told council members.

He said he is looking for “life support” for the program.

Mr. Moss made the same plea to the Bradley County Commission in mid-June. He asked for about $30,000 as one-time funding to get the program through July, August and September as employees search for another grant.

The commission agreed but asked that the city pay half.

“The county has taken a strong step to help us,” Mr. Moss said.

He asked for $15,000 from the city.

Answering council members’ questions, Mr. Moss said the search is already under way for grant funding. The prospects are good for finding a multiyear grant. He pointed out the program had never before asked local funding bodies for money.

“Our position in these types of situations has been that city residents pay county taxes, too. So they are being asked to do this twice,” City Manager Janice Casteel said.

Mayor Tom Rowland asked Ms. Casteel and City Finance Director Michael Keith for a recommendation to the council soon.

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