The private foundation that supports part of Kalamazoo County's drug court program says it may run out of money by 2012. The Kalamazoo County Drug Court Foundation stepped in to save the County's drug court for women after it lost government funding because of budget cuts in 2005. And it began covering the cost of the men's drug court program this year.

The foundation has raised about $7-million for the two programs. But its past president says fundraising efforts have been hit hard by the economic recession. Former Kalamazoo County sheriff Tom Edmonds says grants from other foundations began drying up last fall as their investment portfolios plunged in value.

Kalamazoo County's Circuit Court is expected to put the two drug courts back into its budget next year, although the foundation will continue to raise money to support them. The County's three other drug courts are self-supporting. Supporters say all five programs save many times their cost by helping non-violent offenders to beat their addiction and avoid more jail time.