New Birth Senior Pastor Jamal Bryant speaks at Wednesday’s press conference alongside DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox.
By J.D. Capelouto
A DeKalb County megachurch on Wednesday donated 10,000 masks to the county jail to protect inmates and employees.
New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s contribution adds to the supply of protective gear at the DeKalb County jail.
“I’ve made it a part of my responsibility that the church will literally leave nobody behind,” New Birth Senior Pastor Jamal Bryant said during a news conference at the jail, adding that the masks will help “every inmate” who needs one.
DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox thanked Bryant for the donation.
Inmates in jails and prisons are believed to be especially vulnerable during the ongoing pandemic.
The DeKalb jail reported several cases of COVID-19 among inmates and staff when the virus first hit. It has taken steps to screen inmates for symptoms and previously released over 100 people from the jail on bonds to reduce crowds. The jail can typically hold up to 3,800 inmates.
The sheriff’s office requires inmates to wear masks when out of their cells, officials said earlier this year. It previously received a shipment of masks from the DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency.
“While there has been a shift in focus to systemic racism and the need for police reform, the world’s health crisis is still a present and deadly threat,” Bryant said in a statement before the event.
Bryant took the reins at New Birth, which is located in Stonecrest, in 2018, following the death of Bishop Eddie L. Long and, later, the resignation of his successor.
Read the original story on AJC.com.
