NATCHEZ &045; Homeless families in Natchez may soon have the jumpstart they need.

About 30 community volunteers &045;mostly from area churches &045; met Thursday night with out of town directors to discuss the formation of the Miss-Lou Area Interfaith Hospitality Network.

Currently there are 110 Interfaith Hospitality Networks around the country, the closest being in Lafayette, La., and Biloxi.

The network sponsors a program called Family Promise, which uses volunteer church congregations to combat homelessness.

In each community, IHN looks for about 10 church congregations willing to pitch in. Each church is asked to open up their facilities one week every two or three months to homeless families. The families sleep at the church and church members make meals and spend time getting to know the families.

The families in the program stay at a day center during business hours and spend their time hunting for jobs and housing.

Bishop Stanley Searcy of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church approached the national IHN about starting a Natchez network.

Searcy said he saw a need when he realized homeless families had no shelter options in Natchez. The nearest shelters of any kind are in Baton Rouge and Jackson.

&uot;It’s not a one church thing,&uot; Searcy said. &uot;I wanted to make it a community thing.&uot;

IHN started in 1986 in New Jersey with a goal of aiding parents with children, since other shelters often limit space to single mothers or the abused.

&uot;To me it’s the most powerful and most rewarding ministry I’ve been a part of,&uot; IHN Director Claas Ehlers said.

Ehlers, who lives in New Jersey, came to the Natchez organizational meeting to share experiences and answer questions.

Once the group gets off the ground a local board of directors would make decisions and rules.

Renee Menaro, the director of the Lafayette network, also attended the meeting.

&uot;It’s really an amazing program,&uot; Menaro said. &uot;It’s a passion. Once you get involved you’ll feel the same way.&uot;

Menaro said volunteers in her program often benefit more than the families themselves and everyone continues to come back.

The program would only admit families with children, single moms or single dads. Cases of domestic violence, substance abuse or untreated mental illness are not admitted.

Forming the network can take anywhere from 14 months to 8 years, Ehlers told the group, but average is about 18 to 24 months.

The group must sign up churches, find a day center with accommodations and start screening families. Churches are responsible for providing volunteers and pre-formed groups like youth groups or senior citizens are encouraged to be a part.

Natchez resident Arella Bacon, who works with the Natchez-Adams School District’s homeless children, expressed concerns over finding enough volunteers.

&uot;This could work in Natchez if the churches would just get together,&uot; Bacon said. &uot;Because we’ve got so much need.&uot;

Ehlers said the turnout for the Thursday meeting was promising, and should be a good sign of future volunteers.

The group will meet again at 7 p.m. on July 14 at First Presbyterian Church to form the game plan.