COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Averitt associates and customers are supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through an annual toy drive.
“Providing St. Jude with resources of their choosing based on the need of the kids has been such a rewarding experience,” said Jeff Edwards, regional vice president of sales at Averitt. “We have found that not only do our associates rally behind these drives, but our customers do as well.”
Smiles for a Child
Now in its fifth year, the effort has provided thousands of toys to brighten the days of children undergoing treatment at St. Jude.
The initiative, which began with Play-Doh and later expanded to coloring books, Hot Wheels, Barbie and other toys, continues to grow in impact. In 2023, associates and customers collected and donated 30,000 Hot Wheels. For 2024, the focus shifted to action figures and dolls, resulting in a donation of over 10,000 toys.
Community Challenge
The toy drives are part of Averitt’s companywide Team Up Community Challenge program. This year-round initiative encourages associates across Averitt’s network to participate in local service projects. The company honors its associates’ community service hours by making matching contributions to its non-profit charitable organization, Averitt Charities.
Customers have been instrumental in supporting the effort alongside Averitt associates and the local Louisville community. Each year, St. Jude provides guidance on the items most needed, ensuring the donations bring joy and comfort to children receiving care.
“We started with a Play-Doh drive after Todd Harrett and I visited St. Jude for the check presentation one year. From there, what began locally in Louisville became an initiative in all our region,” said Jimmy Hoskins, operations manager for Averitt’s Louisville facility. “We have been amazed at the generosity of our company, our associates, our customers, and our community. Anything I ask our associates to do, they step up because they love the kids.”
For more information about Averitt’s charitable work, please visit Averitt.com/Charities.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
