Blessing & Backpacks

From the Sanctuary to the Schoolyard: Sharing God’s Love One Backpack at a Time

Eastminster Presbyterian Church joyfully invites the community to participate in our annual Back-to-School Blessing & Supply Drive—a heartfelt ministry supporting students and families as they prepare for a new school year. Throughout the summer, we are collecting new school supplies and financial contributions to help fill backpacks with essential items for children in nearby schools. These items will be distributed to kids in need—extending God’s care and provision beyond our walls. These backpacks will be shared with students in need, extending God’s love and provision beyond our church walls.

Our prayer is that every student begins the year feeling equipped, encouraged, and wrapped in the care of God and this community.

2024 update: In September of last year, we collected and filled 21 backpacks with essential school supplies. Ten backpacks were donated to both Smoke Rise and Idlewood Elementary Schools, while the remaining eleven were distributed to the Lilburn and Stone Mountain co-ops.

How You Can Help

There are two ways to contribute:

Donate School Supplies: Drop off new, unused supplies in the designated bins at the church.
Give Financially: Monetary donations help us purchase additional supplies.
- To donate online, visit our online giving page by clicking the button below and designate the donation for “school supplies."
- Mail donations to 5801 Hugh Howell Rd., Stone Mountain, GA 30087, or place them in the offering plate on Sunday mornings. Please make checks payable to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, with "school supplies" on the memo line.

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Supplies Needed:

Your donations will help ensure students are well-prepared and confident as they begin the school year.

We’re looking for the following high-need items:

Backpacks (sturdy, child-sized)
Composition notebooks & spiral notebooks
Folders with pockets or prongs
Loose-leaf notebook paper (wide-ruled)
#2 pencils & pencil sharpeners
Colored pencils, crayons, and washable markers
Glue sticks & school glue
Scissors (blunt-tip and regular)
Rulers & erasers
Highlighters & dry-erase markers
Tissues & disinfecting wipes

All supplies will be packed into backpacks and distributed to local students through schools and community partners.

Back-to-School Blessing & Celebration at Eastminster

Sunday, July 20

10:30 AM

All students, of any age, are invited to bring their backpacks or tote bags to worship as a symbol of their learning journey. Teachers, administrators, and school staff are encouraged to bring a work bag or an item that represents their role in education. During the service, we’ll offer a special blessing for everyone heading into a new school year, lifting them up with hope, courage, and faith.

After worship, join us in the parking lot for food, fun, and fellowship! Enjoy lunch from a food truck, a bounce house and games for the kids, and a joyful time to celebrate the start of the school year together.