TODAY

Al arrived in Charleston, West Virginia, for the final day of the 10th anniversary Lend a Hand tour. He has given away a record more than $9 million.

This morning, Al and our Lend a Hand donors provided more than $1.4 million in goods and services to The Covenant House. 

The charity works tirelessly to prevent homelessness and help those already there find stable housing. It opened its doors to more than 25,000 times last year to help people in need in the Charleston community.

"This day has been a real game-changer for us," said Melissa Doty, the CEO of The Covenant House.

Learn more about The Covenant House here. Watch a video about the charity below:

Total Day 5 Lend a Hand donation tally: $1,385,050

Complete list of donors
2(x)ist Men's Underwear
Aprica®
BB&T
Beech-Nut
Brickstreet Insurance
Burt's Bee's
Chesapeake Energy
Chicago Cutlery
The Children's Place
Columbia Sportswear Company
Corningware
Direct Relief International
Expo
Food Should Taste Good
Frigidaire
Glidden Paint
Good Neighbor Pharmacy
Hasbro
Henkel
HP
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and The Learning Company
Johnson Outdoors, Ocean Kayak Old Town Canoe and Necky Kayaks
Jordache Enterprises
Malt-O-Meal
MDSolarSciences
Oshkosh B'Gosh and Carter's Babies and Kids
Paula Deen Furniture by Universal Furniture
Paula Deen, Smithfield and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Penske Truck Rental
Raymond James & Associates
Rolston and Company
Sally Hansen
Sara Lee, Jimmy Dean, Ball Park and Hillshire Farms
Slim Jim
Snapware
Speedo
Tempur-Pedic
Toyota / 100 Cars for Good
Triscuit Product and Home Farming Supplies
Unilever Brands Dove, Axe, Lipton and Knorr
United Airlines
Window World

If you are a United Mileage Plus member or a Continental OnePass member, donate airline miles and money to The Covenant House by clicking the links on the corresponding programs.

Want to lend a hand yourself? Let us know here and a TODAY producer may contact you. 

Read about earlier stops in the Lend a Hand tour:
Day 1: AK PRIDE in Anchorage, Alaska | Behind-the-scenes photos
Day 2: The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas | Behind-the-scenes photos
Day 3: Casa de Esperanza in Houston | Behind-the-scenes photos 
Day 4: Community Kitchens in Birmingham | Behind-the-scenes photos 

Check out some behind-the-scenes photos from Al and the Lend a Hand Day 4 stop in Birmingham, Alabama.

He's joined by Paula Deen, singer Taylor Hicks, TODAY staffers and members from the charity Community Kitchens.

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Find out more information about Lend a Hand providing more than $1.7 million in donations to Community Kitchens.

Follow Lend a Hand TODAY on Facebook, where producers are posting more behind-the-scenes photos throughout the week.

Al is also tweeting about his journey here.

TODAY

It is day four of Lend a Hand TODAY, and this morning Al is in Birmingham, Alabama, to help out Community Kitchens with more than $1.7 million in donations.

This state was devastated by a series of deadly tornadoes that hit back in April. The National Weather Service estimates that 64 tornadoes devastated parts of the state and so many lives.

Community Kitchens is a charity dedicated to making sure those in need get a hot meal every single day.

Learn more about the charity here.

Watch Community Kitchens' organizers' reactions to Al and special guest Paula Deen revealing the $1.7 million in donations in the video below.

Total Day 4 Lend a Hand donation tally: $1,725,655

Complete list of donors
2(x)ist Men's Underwear
All-Clad Metalcrafters
Aprica® 
Baxter
Beech-Nut
Birmingham Restaurant Supply
Columbia Sportswear Company
Cuisinart
Dei Fratelli
EBRO
Expo
Frigidaire
Glidden Paint
Good Neighbor Pharmacy
Hasbro
Hobart
Honest Tea
Hormel
Jordache Enterprises
Malt-O-Meal
Master-Bilt
McCormick & Company
Meyers Paula Deen Cookware
Motivated Movers
Nestlé Dreyer's Ice Cream of Dreyer's and Edy's Shakes
Old Spice
Paula Deen Aprons
Paula Deen Furniture by Universal Furniture
Paula Deen, Smithfield and the United Food and Commercial Workers
Penske Truck Rental
Procter & Gamble
Raymond James & Associates
Rudolph Foods
Sara Lee, Jimmy Deen, Ball Park and Hillshire Farms
Scotsman Ice Systems
SGI Delivery Solutions
Slim Jim
Steward Machine Company
Strickland Companies
Thompson Tractor Company
Toyota / 100 Cars for Good
Tyson
United Airlines
Waring 
Whirlpool
Winn-Dixie Stores

If you are a United Mileage Plus member or a Continental OnePass member, donate airline miles and money to Community Kitchens by clicking the links on the corresponding programs.

Want to lend a hand yourself? Let us know here and a TODAY producer may contact you. 

Read about earlier stops in the Lend a Hand tour:
Day 1: AK PRIDE in Anchorage, Alaska | Behind-the-scenes photos
Day 2: The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas | Behind-the-scenes photos
Day 3: Casa de Esperanza in Houston | Behind-the-scenes photos

Check out some behind-the-scenes photos from Al and the Lend a Hand Day 3 stop in Houston.

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Al, officials at Casa de Esperanza and TODAY staffers.

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Al stands with country music artist Clay Walker.

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Al and Jenna Bush Hager watch chef Chris Tilly prepare a dish during the TODAY broadcast.

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Al and Jenna stand with Houston Rockets player Kyle Lowry in front of the dozens of kids the Lend a Hand TODAY donations will go to help.

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Al chats with Houston Astros baseball players who donated thousands of dollars and tickets to upcoming games.

Find out more information about Lend a Hand providing about $2.7 million in donations to Casa de Esperanza.

Follow Lend a Hand TODAY on Facebook, where producers are posting more behind-the-scenes photos throughout the week.

Al is also tweeting about his journey here.

TODAY

Al's Lend a Hand tour rolled on to Houston where he broke the single-day record by giving away about $2.7 million in donations to Casa de Esperanza. 

This is by far and away the most in a single day -- so big that we needed Jenna Bush Hager's help this morning. Today was Day 3 of our week-long journey. It is our biggest year ever, where we'll give away more than $9 million in donations. 

Casa de Esperanza has provided for the last 29 years a safe place for more than 3,000 infants and young children in crisis. They care for kids whose lives have been disrupted by abuse, neglect or poverty. 

Find more information about the charity here and in the video below: 

Total Day 3 Lend a Hand donation tally: $2,667,653

List of sponsors: 

2(x)ist Men's Underwear
Aprica®
Babies R Us
Beech-Nut
Cici's Pizza
Columbia Sportswear Company
Dr. Sears Family Essentials
Earth's Best
Ethan Allen
Frigidaire
Gillman Auto Group
Glidden Paint
Good Neighbor Pharmacy
Gymboree
H.E.B. Grocery
Hasbro
Houston Rockets
Houston Astros
HP
Ikea
JanSport  
Johnson Outdoors, Ocean Kayak, Old Town Canoe and Necky Jordache Enterprises
Malt-O-Meal
Munchkin
Neartown Mini Storage
Paula Deen Furniture By Universal Furniture
Paula Deen Home By Serta
Paula Deen, Smithfield And The United Food and Commercial Workers
Penske Truck Rental
Philips Energy-Saving Ecovantage Light Bulbs
Raymond James & Associates
Sara Lee, Jimmy Deen, Ball Park and Hillshire Farms
Slim Jim
Toyota/100 Cars For Good
Toys R Us
United Airlines
Wells Fargo
YoCrunch Yogurt

If you are a United Mileage Plus member or a Continental OnePass member, donate airline miles and money to Casa de Esperanza by clicking the links on the corresponding programs.

Want to lend a hand yourself? Let us know here and a TODAY producer may contact you. 

Read about earlier stops in the Lend a Hand tour: 

Day 1: AK PRIDE in Anchorage, Alaska | Behind-the-scenes photos

Day 2: The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas | Behind-the-scenes photos

Check out some behind-the-scenes photos from Al and the Lend a Hand Day 2 stop in Las Vegas.

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Roughing it! Al broadcasts his Weather Channel program, "Wake Up With Al," with dancers from the longest running show in Las Vegas, Jubilee at Bally's.

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TODAY producer Sarah Clagett pulls Lend a Hand day 2 together.

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Al Roker broadcasts live from Las Vegas.

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Al Roker stands with an Elvis look-a-like from Las Vegas.

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The talented TODAY crew making it happen at a very early hour.

Find out more information about Lend a Hand providing about $1.5 million in donations to The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas.

Follow Lend a Hand TODAY on Facebook, where producers are posting more behind-the-scenes photos throughout the week.

Al is also tweeting about his journey here.

TODAY

For many who live here, Las Vegas is a city down on its luck. Strip resorts have lost more than $6 billion over the last two years and unemployment is hovering around 10 percent.

Al traveled to the recession-battered area to Lend a Hand with about $1.5 million in donations to a charity trying to put people back to work: The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas.

This non-profit organization is preparing workers for employment in the gaming and hospitality industry, providing them a better life through training, education and providing hope.

Find out more about The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas here. 

Watch the segment below to see the organization's leaders' reactions to the donations and to learn more about the deserving charity.

Total Lend a Hand Day 2 donation tally: $1,480,247

List of donors:

2(x)ist Men's Underwear
ACTIVATE Drinks 
Aprica®
Bacardi®
Beech-Nut
Bleach Safe Home
Columbia Sportswear Company
The Cosmopolitan Of Las Vegas
Cuisinart / Waring
Deleon Tequila
Essence Cosmetics
Frigidaire
Glidden Paint
Good Neighbor Pharmacy
Hennessy
Illes Seasoning & Flavors
Jordache Enterprises
Kiehl's Since 1851
Malt-O-Meal
Mgm Resorts International
Mighty Milk
Mionetto
Paula Deen Furniture By Universal Furniture
Paula Deen, Smithfield And The United Food And Commercial Workers
The Penn & Teller Show At The Rio
Penske Truck Rental
Perini / Penta Builders
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular
Plackers
Royal Talent
Sam Adams
Sara Lee, Jimmy Deen, Ball Park And Hillshire Farms
Slim Jim
Stanley Black And Decker
Todd English
Toyota / 100 Cars For Good
Tyson
United Airlines
Yocrunch Yogurt
Zappos.com

If you are a United Mileage Plus member or a Continental OnePass member, donate airline miles and money to The Culinanry Academy of Las Vegas by clicking the links on the corresponding programs.

Penn and Teller helped Al out this morning -- you can watch their appearance in the video below. Want to help out yourself? Let us know here and a TODAY producer may contact you. 

Check out the record-breaking first day of Lend a Hand in Alaska. 

Check out some behind-the-scenes photos from Al and his first stop in Anchorage, Alaska, on his Lend a Hand tour.

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Al on a glacier in Alaska.

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To get to the glacier, you have to take a chopper. Al stands with his dynamite team!

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Al with Anchorage producers Molly Palmer and Ian Wenger

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AK PRIDE students watch as the TODAY crew prepares for the live broadcast.

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The AK PRIDE crew stands in front of Al's Penske Lend a Hand truck.

Find out more information about Lend a Hand providing $1.9 million in donations to AK PRIDE.

Follow Lend a Hand TODAY on Facebook, where producers are posting more behind-the-scenes photos throughout the week.

Al is also tweeting about his journey here.

TODAY

TODAY's Al Roker kicked off the 10th anniversary of Lend a Hand Monday morning with the biggest donation day in the history of the series: more than $1.8 million to AK PRIDE.

The non-profit organization located in Anchorage provides a positive environment for youth after school, emphasizing the importance of education and community service. 

"If I can just give someone a meal, or a T-shirt or a dollar, you never know how important that dollar is for that one child," said Ma'o Tosi, the organization's director.

Head over to AK PRIDE's website to learn more information about the charity.

Hear the charity's story and watch their reactions to all of the donations in the video below:

Tosi also talked to TODAY in the clip below about how he motivates the Alaskan youth through music, art, dance and athletics. 

Total Lend a Hand Day 1 donation tally: $1,829,332

List of donors:

2(x)ist Men's Underwear
Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours LLC.
Alaska Communications
Amazon
Anchorage: World Wide Movers, Inc.
Aprica®
Beech-Nut
Coleman
Columbia Sportswear
Dance Deck
Epiphone
FAB/Starpoint
FedEx 
Glidden Paint
Good Neighbor
Hasbro
HP
Johnson Outdoors, Ocean Kayak, Old Town Canoe And Necky Kayaks
Jordache Enterprises
Krylon
Lydnen Transport, Inc.
Malt-O-Meal
Navistar And Cascadia International
NFL
NFL Charities
The Northway Mall
NY Jets
Paula Deen Furniture By Universal
Paula Deen, Smithfield And The United Food And Commercial Workers 
Random House Children's Books 
Sara Lee, Jimmy Deen, Ball Park And Hillshire Farms
Signature Flooring
Toyota/100 Cars For Good 
Under Armour/NFL Play 60
United Airlines 
Vans
Wilson

If you are a United Mileage Plus member or a Continental OnePass member, donate airline miles and money to AK PRIDE by clicking the links on the corresponding programs.

Want to help out? Let us know here and a TODAY producer may contact you. 

And watch the video below for a look at some of Alaska'a greatest traditions and a song sung by one of AK PRIDE's staffers.

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

By TODAY's Michelle Fanucci

Monday, June 13, marks the start of TODAY's "Lend a Hand" series with Al Roker. In its 10th consecutive year, Roker is traveling the country to shine light on five exceptional charities and surprise them with truckloads of donations. We're excited to share their stories and show how they're restoring hope and opportunity in their respective communities.

Lend a Hand began in 2002 as a way to jumpstart smaller, lesser-known charities, which lost donations as money was diverted to September 11th philanthropic efforts. In the past nine years, the series has brought Al to 44 cities in 32 states, encouraging companies to give and be part of something special. Lend a Hand started out small -- giving around $25,000 each day but we grew quickly -- each year striving to give more than the next. Right now, I'm proud to say our trucks are jam-packed and ready to deliver $9 million worth of goods!

Getting companies to give hasn't been an easy task, especially in this economy, but it shows what we can do, as a community and as a country, to help folks when they're down and in need of a hand to lift them up. The gifts we leave behind make a lasting difference - sometimes saving a charity from closing, rebuilding a city destroyed by a natural disaster, or providing the necessary resources to reach a greater number of people.

For me, the opportunity to work on the Lend a Hand project for the last four years has been the greatest gift of all. I've witnessed the power of this series, and  been inspired by its endless possibilities and purpose. 

This series would not be possible without Al's enthusiasm, energy or spirited drive, nor without the dedication and tireless work of our talented producers. And to our participating company donors, without you we would not have anything to deliver to the communities in need. Your generosity will change lives and make dreams comes true. To all, we express our heartfelt thanks.
 
Be sure to tune in next week and visit TODAY.com if you, or your company is interested in donating and help us reach our 10 million dollar goal! I will personally respond, accepting donations all next week.

The way to heal a country is to start with one community at a time. Lend a Hand is the vehicle to get us there. Won't you hop on the Lend a Hand Express with Al?

If you'd like to help, click here!

Al Roker is packing up the Penske truck once again to hit the road for the annual Lend a Hand TODAY trip. 

In its tenth consecutive year, Lend A Hand continues its mission to help small charities across the country that work towards improving conditions in their communities. 

Al's goodwill road trip kicks off Monday, June 13 in Anchorage, Alaska, the first state outside of the continental U.S. in Lend a Hand history. The trip continues throughout the week in Las Vegas, Nev. (Tuesday), Houston, Texas (Wednesday), Birmingham, Ala. (Thursday), and Charleston, West Virginia (Friday). 

In each city, Al surprises a deserving charity with trucks full of goods and supplies.

This year, special celebrity guests including Penn & Teller and Todd English in Las Vegas, world champion BBQ’er Chris Lilly in Houston, and Paula Deen and her son Bobby in Birmingham will join him on the road. At each Lend a Hand TODAY stop, Al will spend time throughout the broadcast at the city’s charitable organization and introduce its efforts to TODAY viewers.

Then Al, with the help from several generous companies, will present the charity with scores of essential items it needs to continue helping and serving its community. Click here to find out more information about the donors.

Following the Lend a Hand tradition, Al will deliver the new supplies to the charities by way of a Penske truck. TODAY has raised a record-breaking $9 million in donations so far for this year’s trip, with more on the way. This marks the largest amount of contributions ever for the Lend A Hand series. 

Want to donate? Click here.