Nearly 2,000 receive free COVID-19 tests at New Birth’s Mother’s Day event

STONECREST—New Birth Missionary Baptist Church provided nearly 2,000 people with free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing on Sunday, May 10, during its Mother’s Day event.

A product of the church’s partnership with RoweDocs and MAJL Laboratories, the free testing was provided for individuals who do not have insurance or receive Medicaid and Medicare coverage , however, anyone who needs testing was encouraged to show up and get tested.

“Almost 2,000 people were tested, making it the largest for Georgia,” said Dr. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.” “[COVID-19] has impacted, disproportionately, the African American community, so I was grateful that New Birth was able to participate in such a partnership.”

The event was just one of the many ways that New Birth has acted to provide relief and support during the pandemic.

For the last seven weeks, the church has provided free groceries to 1,000 families each Saturday. Additionally, it has partnered with the Allen Entrepreneurial Institute and Hilton Hotels to provide a retreat center for medical professionals who are constantly on the front lines, taking on double and triple shifts.

“I felt that the call was there. DeKalb County is unusually being afflicted and as one of the largest churches in the area, we can’t call ourselves a megachurch and have a minor impact. The bible said ‘to whom much is given much is required,’ and so I thought it was our responsibility to try to step up to the plate,” Bryant said.

New Birth Missionary Church plans to do another event with free COVID-19 testing. A new has not yet been confirmed.