NUHS students and faculty recently volunteered to help provide backpacks to local children as part of the annual Pinellas Park Medical District‘s Back-to-School Backpack Drive last month. The event took place July 22 at St. Petersburg College Health Education Center in Pinellas Park, Florida. 

“This year was bigger than ever. We gave away over 2,000 backpacks full of school supplies, 23 bicycles and scooters with helmets, over 150 life vests, books, and free food and Kona Ice for all attendees,” said Daniel Strauss, DC, Dean of the NUHS College of Professional Studies-Florida, who’s also chairman of the PPMD and helps organize the event. 

In addition to distributing backpacks at the event, NUHS students and faculty helped pack the backpacks with school supplies in the days leading up to the event. 

“I have no doubt that our NUHS participation helped to make this community event a huge success,” Dr. Strauss said. 

The event brought in over 4,000 attendees, several local news stations and sponsors including the Tampa Bay Rays. Dr. Strauss founded the backpack drive event 8 years ago.