Averitt's theme, The Power of One, was on full display in 2019 with an impressive number of charitable donations and volunteer hours amassed by our drivers and other associates to benefit our communities and our associate-driven charity, Averitt Cares for Kids.
To help fund Averitt Cares for Kids, associates elect to have $1 per week deducted from their pay checks, with more than 96% of associates participating in the program. Funding also is provided through company contributions made in recognition of associates' accomplishments, participation in Team Up Community Challenge projects, and life events.
As part of our Team Up Community Challenge, associates are encouraged to participate in community service projects throughout the year. With the help of everyone who participated, we set the bar high with over 6,000 hours on the Team Up scoreboard and more than 200 organizations served throughout our communities. Every act of community service also resulted in a matching contribution to Averitt Cares for Kids.
Corporate contributions to 64 local organizations totaled $119,000. The Uniform Recycling program collected 4,247 logoed garments for recycling to third world countries.
When the final numbers came in, our team set a record for our largest-ever donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, raising a whopping $1,000,001. It marked the fifth consecutive year Averitt associates have either matched or set a record for the donation to St. Jude. The amount is also the largest-ever employee-giving contribution to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, eclipsing the previous record of $750,001 that was also held by Averitt. A team of Averitt associates traveled to Memphis to formally present the contribution to the hospital.
Our team has also received numerous charitable awards for corporate giving and has actively supported groups such as: Boy and Girl Scouts of America; American Cancer Society; Arthritis Foundation; American Lung Association; Humane Society; March of Dimes; Muscular Dystrophy Association; National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Prevent Blindness Tennessee; YMCA; Second Harvest Food Bank; Ronald McDonald House; Special Olympics; United Way; United Cerebral Palsy; Vanderbilt Children's Hospital; Crohn's and Colitis Foundation; Habitat for Humanity; Breast Cancer Awareness Fund; Children's Miracle Network; Salvation Army; Jason Foundation; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center; Tennessee Trucking Foundation Safety Education and more.
According to Gary Sasser, our chairman and chief executive officer, the donations and volunteerism are key examples of exemplifying The Power of One. "It represents the positive impact all of us can make as we work together toward a common goal," he said. "That's why the extra dollar in our donation is so important to our team. I'm proud of the way we've worked together to accomplish this milestone, and I'm even more excited to see how we'll make a bigger difference in the future."