BATON ROUGE- A drive-thru back to school supplies giveaway and COVID-19 testing event will take place in the capital area on Saturday, Aug. 8.

CareSouth Medical and Dental has teamed up with Southern University Athletics to bring the community a fun, socially distant event that can knock out two tasks in one stop.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, CareSouth will be distributing more than 800 backpacks filled with school supplies, masks and earbuds, the company announced Friday.

In addition, there will also be a raffle for tablet computers and a $100 Walmart gift card as many students are returning to school virtually.

The supplies will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The event is free of charge and open to the public.

Care South says those interested in picking up supplies do not have to be tested for COVID-19, but can be if they wish.

Anyone 12 years or older can take the test and a doctor's order is not required. If you have insurance. your insurance company will be billed, however, there is no out-of-pocket expense. If you don’t have insurance, CareSouth will cover the cost, according to the news release.

Those who wish to be tested must bring a picture ID and insurance card, if applicable. It is also highly encouraged that you register beforehand. You can do so by clicking here.

“We’re looking forward to giving back to the Baton Rouge area through our back to school drive and providing much-needed support to the community during these unprecedented times,” Matthew Valliere, CareSouth CEO, said. “We believe in providing support to our community during its time of need.” 

For more information, call (225) 650-2000 or click here.