Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC) is hosting its annual Back to School Drive, benefitting hundreds of special needs kids in its care. With a goal of collecting more than 900 backpacks by August 9, CDTC is calling on the community to donate to the cause.

Getting ready for a new school year can be a big chore for parents, consuming valuable time and costing on average more than $100 for school supplies. Eighty-five percent of the families at Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC) live at or below the poverty level and focus most of their resources on the demanding medical care needed for their children. CDTC hopes to relieve some of this burden with the annual Back to School Drive, which benefits families who care for a child with special healthcare needs.

“Our commitment to our patients spans beyond medical care,” said Broward Health President/CEO Beverly Capasso. “The gift of a new backpack lightens the burden on our patients and their families. As a parent who has gone through the back-to-school rush, I am delighted that Broward Health and the community can help improve our patients’ quality of life.”

CDTC’s Back to School Drive continues through August 9 with the goal of surpassing last year’s donation of 870 backpacks. In addition to backpacks, school supplies will also be collected to fill the 900 backpacks CDTC hopes to gather this year.

School Wellness Exams will be offered at CDTC on July 31 and August 7 to evaluate growth and development and bring immunizations and health screenings up to date.

“We do everything possible to help the families we serve thrive,” said Dr. Ana Calderon Randazzo, executive director of CDTC. “Being ready for the classroom is important to every child’s success in life. We are so grateful to the community who helps us make preparations for the new school year a little easier for these amazing and dedicated families.”

Backpacks, school supplies and gift cards donations will be collected at CDTC, located at 1401 S. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316, through August 9, 2018. For more information about donating school supplies and a current wish list, visit childrensdiagnostic.com/back-to-school.

For more information about wellness exams, call 954-728-8080.

The Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC) is a not-for-profit that serves more than 12,000 clients with special healthcare needs in Broward County annually. As a facility of Broward Health, CDTC’s mission is to promote the optimal health and well-being of children with special healthcare needs by providing comprehensive prevention, intervention and treatment services. CDTC was awarded Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and is a nationally recognized “Center of Excellence” offering a unique system of care for infants, children, youth and women with chronic illnesses, disabilities and developmental delays. For more information, visit ChildrensDiagnostic.org.