New Birth helps DeKalb families and educators begin school year with vital support: "Preparing a child for success begins long before the first school bell rings"

As thousands of DeKalb County students return to their classrooms Monday, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church spent the weekend trying to make the first day of school feel lighter this year.

The church's two-day back-to-school initiative began Saturday with groceries, school supplies and household essentials for about 1,000 families experiencing food insecurity, the church says.

New Birth Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant said the groceries were intended to help families for the next two weeks, while other items could help create a home environment where students are able to study and focus.

On Sunday, the church shifted its attention to a group that can sometimes be overlooked during back-to-school season: principals, teachers and administrators responsible for welcoming students back.

School leaders gathered at New Birth's Stonecrest campus for a Sunday service centered on prayer, encouragement and care packages designed to remind them that the community recognizes the pressure they carry.

Bryant said the idea was inspired by a care package his mother sent him when he first arrived at Morehouse College.

"I wanted to give a care package to the principals of DeKalb County, to know that they're thought of, to know that they're prayed for and to know that they are remembered," Bryant said. Like the students in schools, Bryant said the church wanted this year's initiative to acknowledge the stress placed on the adults leading schools.

In previous years, New Birth distributed shoes to thousands of children and focused another initiative on students with special needs. This year, Bryant said, the church wanted to do something different by supporting the educators who often serve several roles in a child's life.

"We really believe that teachers are the unsung heroes of our community," Bryant said. "We wanted to give them a jolt of energy so that they know that they're not in it by themselves."

The weekend brought together families, volunteers, educators and DeKalb County school leaders days before students begin another academic year.

"Preparing a child for success begins long before the first school bell rings," Bryant said. "When families have the support they need, educators have the resources they deserve and a community unites behind our children, we create opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom."