Over 625 (and counting!) pairs of jeans, are about to make their way to Covenant House thanks to the philanthropic efforts of Gladstone student Steven Hall.

Hall has a long record of community service. He collects food for the food bank, helps with local blood drives, school fundraising events and is active in the school's improv and theatre community.

"I wanted to do something bigger," says Hall. "So doing something with Gladstone to bring in more jeans seemed like one of the best ideas. I thought the cause was one of the numerous opportunities out there that benefit the world around me. Helping people that haven't been dealt a good hand in life is something that I feel strongly about."

Hall's teacher Lindsay Goodridge says the Teens for Jeans program is important.

"Sometimes teenagers get a bad reputation in society.  I think that projects like this help to change that. By finding a worthy home for clothing that we often just leave in our back closet and never look at, we're simultaneously raising awareness to the tough situation many kids face every day," says Goodridge. "It encourages teens to put themselves in another person's shoes."

The Teens for Jeans initiative will continue at Gladstone until February 16.