New Birth holds back-to-school shoe giveaway
New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s mission is to save souls, now it’s giving away soles.
The Stonecrest megachurch is holding its annual shoe giveaway for students, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday at the church’s Family Life Center, 6400 Woodrow Rd.
The event has expanded and will distribute 5,000 pairs of new shoes, collected by members of the congregation during June and July.
“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 Rev. Jamal Harrison Bryant, senior pastor, said in a release about the event. " The added expense of buying new shoes as students prepare to return to school in-person has become an increased stress for many parents.”
The program was launched in 2019. During the pandemic, the church provided digital devices to help students who did not attend in-person classes. This is the first in-person shoe distribution since the pandemic began.
People have already registered for the event, but walk-ups are also welcome, according to a church spokeswoman.
About the Author
Shelia has worked at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than 30 years. Previously, she worked at The Lexington Herald-Leader and The Louisville Defender. Her beat is a bit of a mixed bag that includes religion and spirituality, culture and trends, race and aging. She earned degrees from Spelman College and Northwestern University.
