ROCKMART — A Rockmart Community Transitional Housing Committee has been organized to fight homelessness one family at a time.

The group first met in January with representatives of Action Ministries of Atlanta. This organization has an established program to help families with children experiencing homelessness.

Sylvia Pound has been elected as the moderator of the local committee and Perry Barrett is vice-moderator. Archie Bagley is the secretary and Jimmy Jones is treasurer.

The goal of this group is to work with Action Ministries to find and select a family that will be placed in a house until they become self-sufficient and can move into a home of their own. This usually takes from 18 to 24 months.

Pastor Maryellen Hittel, Rockmart First Presbyterian Church, said the local group would be relieved of the old trial and error methods because of the oversight and direction of Action Ministries.

Action Ministries will interview and select the family to enter the local program, which is designed to eliminate any bias or prejudice involved in the process.

Plans are to have the first family in place by July 1.

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