NATCHEZ — A new service aiming to both clothe veterans and give them an opportunity to meet each other will open its doors 9 a.m. Thursday.

The second floor of the Natchez VFW Post will now host a free clothing bank and memorabilia room for veterans as part of local nonprofit Home With Heroes’ latest endeavor. The facility will have hours of 9 a.m. to noon on Thursdays and Fridays, with the intention of opening on some Saturdays depending on the amount of volunteers.

“I use the slogan ‘We’re serving those who served us,’” said Mark LaFrancis, Home With Heroes president.

As with all the nonprofits’ efforts, this service comes at no cost to veterans and their loved ones.

LaFrancis worked Tuesday to prepare for the grand opening, assembling shelves and organizing clothes. He had two rows of clothing stretching across the upstairs room where the bank is housed, but he said people have committed to bring more clothes after the opening.

While the memorabilia room is mostly empty for now, that component will develop over time, LaFrancis said. Memorabilia donations can be either permanent or temporary, and Home With Heroes will accept items such as uniforms, helmets, photos or ribbon racks, to name a few.

For months, LaFrancis and a group of volunteers have worked to get the building ready — no small task, he said.

“We had to put on four coats of paint, because the walls were in such terrible shape,” LaFrancis said.

New hardwood flooring, he said, also provided a nice upgrade for the downtrodden facility.

But the work is far from over. The group still needs volunteers to open up on Saturdays as LaFrancis hopes. They would need at least two volunteers per shift, though four would be preferable, LaFranicis said.

Eventually, the goal of the building is not just to provide clothing for veterans, but also to provide a space for them to convene and bond over a cup of coffee.

“Right now, there really is no gathering place for veterans in Natchez,” LaFrancis said. “I’m hoping this will be it.”

Willing volunteers or donors are welcomed to stop by the facility during its hours of operation, where they will also find forms for other charitable causes for veterans: the 2018 Wreaths Across America program at Natchez National Cemetery, purchasing a brick at the downtown Veterans Memorial and Helping Hands for Veterans, a program offering light home and yard work.

Interested volunteers can also reach LaFrancis at 601-442-0980 or by email at gmarklafrancis@hotmail.com.