Believe it or not, the start of the 2009-2010 school year is almost upon us. Newark public schools open their doors on Thursday, September 3rd to thousands of local children. Thanks to the Metropolitan Baptist Church and Rev. David Jefferson, Sr., Newark kids received a little back-to-school present: 5,000 free backpacks.

Thousands of children, parents, and grandparents stood in line outside the Willing Heart Community Care Center on August 29th to pick up one of the book bags being given away by the Church as part of the second annual “Passport to Success” program. “We are going to do this partnership today!” Jefferson shouted to the cheering crowd, “We are going to take names today!”

The bags, provided by Harvest Victory, came fully stocked with pencils, notebooks, crayons, rulers, and pens that were provided by K-Mart and Staples. City Hall, Essex County, and Councilman Bell made donations to support the event.

Before breaking out in an impromptu duet of “My Girl” with Newark superintendent Clifford Janey, Mayor Jefferson asked the crowd to commit to improving local education. “Sometimes we have to do things as the spirit moves us,” he said.

The “Passport to Success” program is designed to get Newark children excited about going back to school, which will hopefully decrease high school drop-out rates. According to Jefferson, the project is a long-term strategy to help engage parents, increase the amount of community partnerships, and provide alternatives to gangs and other types of street violence.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker was on hand at the even to help give out bags and talk to kids, as well as singing the praises of Rev. Jefferson’s program. The mayor said that Jefferson is “trying to get churches to adopt schools”. He referred to Jefferson as an important supporter in a citywide push to create “comprehensive community support” as a weapon against crime, despite the decrease in homicides in Newark. Other community leaders spoke out to emphasize the importance of programs like “Passport to Success” for children who may not have the support that they need to succeed in school.

“We have people in the community that will give children guns,” said Brother Thomas Ellis, founder of the anti-violence group, Enough is Enough, “But we also have people in the community that will give children book bags.”

Despite the rain, Newark resident Deborah Patterson waited in line with her three grandchildren to receive one of the thousands of book bags. She noted that the event provided both material and spiritual support, gushing, “I love it, it’s a big help. I’m pushing (my grandchildren) every day, but I told them they have to pray for focus”. Her granddaughter Tamarah will be entering the fourth grade on Thursday and one day hopes to become a doctor.

In October, Pastor Jefferson plans to call a meeting of all the church leaders in Newark to form strategies that will create strong partnerships in the community. He hopes to make the clergy a “catalyst” for reducing crime and violence in the city. His Willing Heart Community Care Center provides after school events, clothing drives, and poetry nights for local children, but Jefferson still wants to do more and expand his program.

“Do you know why we call it Willing Heart?” Jefferson asked, “Because it is a living vessel–it is a pumping, live, living vessel for the community.”