New Birth Missionary Baptist Church to distribute 5,000 new pairs of shoes to K – 12th grade Students on Aug. 13

STONECREST, GA–New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is helping thousands of area students start the school year on the right foot its annual back-to-school event on Aug. 13.  Registration is underway now.

Senior Pastor Jamal H. Bryant and the New Birth congregation have expanded this

year’s outreach to include the distribution of 5,000 brand-new pairs of shoes for school-aged students. Registration is required for all participants.

In DeKalb County, where New Birth is located, nearly 95,000 students are registered in the school district with 48.2% eligible to receive free or reduced lunch, according to a 2021 Dekalb County School District report.

“We have been completely overwhelmed by the generosity of our congregation and the community, but we are still urging partners and those looking to help impact the lives of students and families this school year to donate new shoes today,” said Bryant. “Families have so much on their plates as they prepare their young ones to head back to school. Skyrocketing gas prices, food costs and living expenses have increased the financial burden faced by countless families. The added expense of buying shoes as students prepare to return to school in-person has become an increased stress for parents.”

Throughout the months of June and July, members of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church collected thousands of brand-new shoes in various sizes to support the annual community outreach effort. While the response has been tremendous, the congregation is still in need of small-sized, half-sized and large-sized shoes to ensure all needs are met. Critical donation needs include small children’s sizes 11 – 13.5, youth size 5.5, women’s size 8.5 and men’s size 12.

“Our goal with this initiative is to alleviate some of the financial stress on families and allow students and parents to focus on the work in the classroom,” said Bryant. “At New Birth we want to be an example of the church making a difference in our community

and addressing the needs of under-resourced and underserved communities in a practical, substantive way.”

This year’s back-to-school event is supported by partners including Shoe Carnival and Tronus. Special guests for the back-to-school event include partners, local elected officials, and corporate donors. Online registration is required to participate in this outreach event. To register, visit www.newbirth.org.