NATCHEZ &8212; For Bruce Perry the Natchez Stewpot is a &8220;lifesaver.&8221;

And he means that pretty literally. Without the money for frequent hot meals, Perry counts on lunch at the Stewpot to get him through the day.

He&8217;s been coming for a while, most every day, and his favorites are the meals with barbecue sauce, he said.

Perry is one of about 225 locals that eat Stewpot meals every day, a number that&8217;s on the rise, Director Louis Gunning said.

About 50 of those meals are served at the Franklin Street Stewpot, but the rest are delivered to shut-ins or those without transportation in and around Natchez.

The meals come already cooked and ready to eat, with a drink, and sometimes more.

Six months ago, Gunning said he was serving about 190 each day. This Thanksgiving, his nearly all-volunteer staff served 340. He attributes some of the increase to Hurricane Katrina evacuees, but said the evacuee business has slowed.

The Stewpot has one paid worker &8212; the manager on site &8212; and usually runs with about four or five volunteers preparing and serving meals. They serve meals 365 days a year.

The whole operation, including utilities, runs on a $41,000 a year budget, or about $3,500 a month.

At any given time, Gunning aims to have enough money to cover the next three months. But the availability of that money relies largely on donations. Right now, funds are where they should be, Gunning said, but he&8217;s still sitting a little uneasy.

&8220;Between Thanksgiving and Christmas is when we usually get at least a third of our yearly income,&8221; he said. &8220;I have noticed this year we aren&8217;t getting as much as we usually get. That worries me a little bit. I like to build up during this time.&8221;

So money is Gunning&8217;s first wish for this holiday season, he said.

Utility bills this winter have been higher than past years, making the need for monetary donations even greater, he said.

Next, the Stewpot always needs food. Non-perishable items are best, cans, spaghetti, rice, etc. But anything is accepted. Churches frequently give leftovers from large gatherings. The Stewpot prepares complete meals, so the best type of food is something that can be used to make a meal. If special items, like cereal, peanut butter or coffee, come in, they are given by the box or jar.

And finally, the Stewpot needs volunteers. Some serve in the kitchen, but the majority are needed to drive hour-long delivery routes around the county at lunchtime. Gas costs are not refunded. To volunteer or donate, contact Gunning at 601-442-2270, or visit the Stewpot from 8:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Send monetary donations to Natchez Community Stewpot, P.O. Box 298, Natchez, MS 39121.