Jonesboro, Arkansas – With school just around the corner, Oak Grove Baptist Church brought the community together Saturday for its second annual Back to School Bash, offering kids more than just hot dogs and games—it gave them a head start.
The event, held on church grounds, provided free backpacks and school supplies to local students in need. Volunteers welcomed families as kids ran around, picked out their favorite backpacks, and enjoyed a sunny day filled with laughter, snacks, and playtime.
“It’s great to see them. It’s something for them to look forward to, for them to come in, get a backpack and get ready for back to school,” said Oak Grove Youth Leader Darrell Pipes.
The numbers tell the story. In 2023, the church gave out 45 backpacks. This year, that number nearly tripled.
“We gave out 45 backpacks last year, and we gave out about 125 this year, so we definitely had a lot more backpacks. We’re able to bless a lot more people that way,” Pipes said.
The backpacks came filled with donated supplies—everything from notebooks and pencils to crayons and folders—geared toward making the return to school a little easier for students and their families.
What started as a small outreach has now become a much-anticipated event. Pipes noted that the church was happy to see the number of attendees grow and that it meant a lot to provide help while building relationships with the community.
“We’re able to bless a lot more people that way,” he said, adding that the smiles on children’s faces made the hard work worthwhile.
Oak Grove Baptist Church plans to keep the tradition going next year, hoping to serve even more families and build a stronger connection with the Jonesboro community.
