The Chattanooga City Council has approved a new agreement with nonprofit Father to the Fatherless to continue to handle the social services side of the Violence Reduction Initiative, a gang deterrence program.
The agency, which began as an initiative of Hope for the Inner City, has provided case management, mentoring and job preparedness services to gang members who seek to leave the life of gangs and violence behind for two years. Now on its own and in partnership with United Way, the organization has offered to do the job for $230,000 a year, a significant reduction compared to the city's $290,000 annual agreement with Hope for the Inner City, which has been in effect since 2014.
Last Tuesday, Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher explained the lower cost as a matter of refocusing on the agency's core strengths: one-on-one mentoring to assist gang members with accessing the network of services available to them.
"That's why the cost is less than it was, because we are scaling back in order to best utilize your taxpayers' dollars and to focus on what Father to the Fatherless really does well and what is most at need for this at-risk group," Fletcher said.
The council voted 7-1 in favor of the agreement, with Councilman Larry Grohn casting the only "no" vote. Councilman Ken Smith abstained.
Email Paul Leach at pleach@timesfreepress.com.