ATLANTA—The One Church One Inmate program in Georgia, organized by Catholic Social Services, has become the fastest growing in the country with 80 volunteers participating through 16 churches and faith-based teams in an interfaith effort.

The Georgia program was featured as a model program by Catholic Charities USA in a June 14 national video conference.

The next orientation for interested churches, groups and individuals is Saturday, June 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, Atlanta.

One Church One Inmate was founded by Father George Clements, a Chicago priest who also founded programs linking churches with children for adoption and linking churches with recovering drug addicts. An interfaith program, it is a bridge to healing for ex-offenders and their families.

In Georgia a partnership was created with OCOI, Catholic Social Services, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the State Board of Pardons & Parole and the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta.

Participating Catholic churches are the Catholic Chapel at Fort Benning, St. Ann, Marietta, Corpus Christi, Stone Mountain, St. Anthony, Atlanta, St. Joseph, Marietta, St. Lawrence, Lawrenceville, St. Mark, Clarkesville, St. Mary, Rome, St. Paul of the Cross, Atlanta, and St. Pius X, Conyers. Others involved are Aid to Children of Imprisoned Mothers, Bibleway Ministries, Christ Church Episcopal, Hillside Chapel & Truth Center, Justice For All and Salem Missionary Baptist Church.

Teams of three to five volunteers are organized by each participating group and take part in mandatory training with personnel from Corrections and Parole. The teams provide spiritual support, friendship, correspondence and practical guidance to an inmate and his or her family at the times of pre-release, release and a transition period.

Pam Buckmaster, CSS executive director, said it is the first time an Atlanta CSS project has been featured as a model project in the national Catholic Charities telecast to 1,400 agencies nationwide.

The orientation on June 24 is free and lunch will be provided. Speakers include Eric Ovid Donaldson, national OCOI director, Chuck Topetzes, executive director of the State Board of Pardons & Parole, Alan Adams, Department of Corrections director of operations and Dr. Woodrow Hudson, director of chaplaincy services for the Department of Corrections. Those coming are asked to RSVP at (404) 885-7463 by 5 p.m. on June 22. The church is located at 634 W. Peachtree St.