Sellers Park was a whirl of activity Saturday with hundreds of families coming to the bookbag distribution/community day, thanks to the generosity of a local church.
Since 2021, the Bread of Life Assembly of God Church has done a summer bookbag distribution and it’s grown every year.
The first year started with 500 supply-filled bags handed out. This year, 800 were given out and organizer said they could see it growing to 1,000 next year.
More than 100 volunteers helped to staff the four-hour event that featured the bookbag distribution, but much more as hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, water ice, juices and Gatorade were also handed out for free.
Bread of Life volunteers hand out 800 backpacks filled with school supplies at Sellers Park Saturday. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)
Two inflatables were there for the kids to bounce in. Prizes were given out at a variety of games.
And musicians filled the air with song as Upper Darby police and firefighters and the Upper Darby High School football team interacted with the community throughout the day.
The event was the brainchild of the Rev. Thomas Keinath, pastor of Bread of Life Assembly, and currently on a missions trip in Fiji.
“There was a lot the world was going through,” Moses Charles, one of the leaders of Bread of Life, said of the origin of the event. “We figured we could do something to kind of revive the community and the heart of the people. And it worked and the community received it very well. We’ve gone from then to now.”
Joseph Sarjoo said all of the 800 bags, and all of the food, drinks and prizes and games, were paid for by the Bread of Life Church members. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)
Joseph Sarjoo, a Bread of Life leader in charge of evangelism, said Keinath brought the idea of community outreach with him when he became pastor of the church.
“He brought the vision to us and since then, we’ve been running with the vision,” Sarjoo said. “The reason why we do this every year is to just love on our community. To love. We’re not about converting nobody. We’re about loving on them and showing them the love of Christ … The time that we’re in now, we just want to love on people.”
He credited the church’s pastor with that vision.
“He’s all about showing the community of Upper Darby the love,” Sarjoo said, adding that the community outreach is not limited to this one event.
The popcorn machine was a big draw Saturday at Sellers Park. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)
Every first Saturday of the month, they go to 69th Street and do missions, like handing out water there, and the church also has a food pantry on the second Saturday of the month at the State Road church.
Sarjoo pointed to the shirt he was wearing that read, “Don’t Just Go to Church. BE THE CHURCH. Do. Give. Teach. Love.”
“We’re not just a church that’s going to stay in the brick and mortar,” he added.
Pointing to all the families in the park enjoying the festivities, he said, “The church is this. When you look around here, you see people from every walk of life. This is why we do it. We just want to engage our community and just show them the love of Christ.”
Both Sarjoo and Charles said the entire event, including the 800 backpacks with supplies, are collected and paid for by the church members.
“Everything 100% is sponsored by our church, the Bread of Life Assembly of God,” Sarjoo said. “Not only backpacks but they’re filled with school supplies inside. There’s books inside, pencils, sharpeners, folders. Everything that you need to go back to school with is in this bag. And, it’s all 800 on us, Bread of Life … When we do this, we try to go all the way out.”
“We want to give back to the community and invest in the next generation,” Charles added. “We do believe that children are important to the world. They’re important to God. So, we do believe if you invest in them, it is an investment that will truly pay off, that whatever little encouragement you give to them, whatever help you give to them, one of these days … they will be a blessing to their community.”
“We do believe it’s important to come together as a community and work together and to give back what God has blessed us with. That’s the heart of it.”
Sarjoo noted that some of these community members might be in circumstances that they can’t afford a backpack.
“So for them, it’s like giving them just a little bit of hope for that day,” he said.
Community members appreciated the day provided by the Bread of Life Assembly of God Church. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)
Attendees appreciated the event.
“It’s very nice for the kids to use,” Upper Darby resident Hassan Hillel said as he held a pair of bookbags. “It makes the kids happy.”
Holding three bags, Marie Forestal said the event was really nice.
“It’s wonderful,” she said. “I like it. It’s helpful because a lot of people are struggling now in this community. The economy is bad.”
Originally Published: August 2, 2025 at 1:26 PM EDT