MEMPHIS, Tenn. — One organization said its main goal is to get young people off the streets.
The CEO of Damascus Road asked for $300 thousand from the Memphis City Council to give at risk teens a safe haven.
Some said it isn`t a good idea considering the city is already struggling to approve a budget.
The project CEO however said she wants to make Damascus Road a destination for at risk teens.
“I think it`s a good thing because nowadays they got this system called “201 Man” and a lot of people down there for dumb crimes and some young 17, 16,” said John Harris who lives down the street from the South Memphis facility.
“It is critical to the service of the children of Memphis. We intend to change the fabric in the middle of which children are handled in Memphis and Shelby County so that`s what we`re hoping to do to get children off the street,” said Sharon Paige, CEO.
Paige said the site would offer tutoring and academic services, but they need the funding to pay personnel.
She wanted to have the program up and running in 30 days.
“Once they get to our site, they would be delivered to qualified personnel who can actually take care of the children. What it allows Memphis Police to do is to not babysit,” she said.
Council member William Boyd told WREG over the phone it would be tough to fund a program like this because there`s so many unanswered questions like how will the program be able to sustain operations even if it gets the money.
Although some council members have questions, others said it`s important to have the program around.
Council member Joe Brown said that during a committee meeting last week.
“This is just pennies; this is nothing. We should make a greater investment. There should be a million on the table,” he said.
Paige said she will go before council members about this issue again on Tuesday.
Her group also wanted to deal with abandoned babies.