For the 13th year, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children celebrated the last days of summer with a Back-to-School Carnival for patients and families in the community. Featuring games, music, food, the Phillie Fanatic, and the distribution of thousands of free backpacks stuffed with school supplies. 

The annual event was held on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lighthouse Field, directly across Erie Avenue from the hospital. Since the carnival’s inception, the free event has hosted nearly 20,000 children and their families and provided school supplies to almost 15,000 kids. School-age children attending the event received backpacks stuffed with school essentials, including notebooks, pencils, and folders, while supplies lasted. Younger children received a toy. 

“Each year this is a great community event for our patients and families,” said Renee Turchi, MD, medical director of St. Christopher’s Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs. “This helps provide families with the supplies their kids need to be ready for the school year, and it’s a really fun way to help them get a good start,” she said.  

The carnival was packed with activities, including food, a DJ, a Rita’s Water Ice truck, face painting, a magic show, an inflatable slide, a special appearance by the Phillie Phanatic, a meet-and-greet with costumed superheroes, and a game truck. 

More than 40 health and social service agencies from across the Philadelphia area, including the PEAL center, HUNE, Elwyn, the American Red Cross, and Special Olympics of PA were also there offering information on children’s health and safety. 

 

About St. Christopher's Hospital for Children

St. Christopher's Hospital for Children is a 188-bed facility providing exceptional care to children from across the Philadelphia region. Founded in 1875, the hospital has more than 200 physicians who are pediatric experts and offers a wide array of specialties. St. Christopher’s is home to one of only three Level I pediatric trauma centers in Pennsylvania, a Level III neonatal intensive care unit—the highest level­—and the only pediatric burn center between New York and Baltimore. The hospital is a Magnet® designated facility­—the gold standard of nursing—and is one of the largest pediatric medical training centers in the country. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.