ADAMS TWP — A Mars High School junior picked the coldest of nights to act on the warmest of intentions.

Jon Jackson, 16, handed out about 100 blankets to homeless people in downtown Pittsburgh on Tuesday night before heading to a youth shelter in Wilkinsburg to deliver 50 more.

Jon of Adams Township said when he was 12 years old he and his family were returning from Pittsburgh on a frigid evening when he saw homeless people sleeping under a bridge.

“Blankets really came to mind because they would keep them dry and warm,” Jon said.

So he set to work in November 2012 placing boxes at each Mars school building, at a few businesses in Mars and at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center. He also posted fliers around town at gathering places touting the “Keep Yinz Warm” program.

Jon said he needed to empty the box at Cranberry two to three times per week.

“It was a big box, too, and the blankets would be piled outside the box,” Jon said.

He gave out blankets two other times this winter.

His mother, Kelly, first took him to Pittsburgh to hand out blankets on Dec. 22. He gave out 200 blankets to homeless individuals.

They went down again on Christmas Eve and handed out 200 more.

“They are very appreciative,” Jon said. “They say 'thank you' and 'God bless you.'”

He said many people take two or three blankets, and then share them with their friends. Jon has no problem doling out multiple blankets.

“We let them take as many as they want because we have an overabundance of them,” Jon said.

Mars school Superintendent Jim Budzilek is amazed at the philanthropic spirit of the teen.

“It's almost humbling to see that we have these types of students in our school district,” Budzilek said. “It's an amazing feat of humanity for anyone, let alone a high school student, to take that responsibility.”

He also was astonished that Jon would undertake the project on one of the coldest nights in decades.

“I'm overwhelmed, and totally impressed with his efforts,” said Budzilek.

Mars High School Assistant Principal Dale Sleva said it is nice to see students in the largely affluent district who are concerned with the living situations of others.

“Out here, a lot of kids have everything,” Sleva said. “He actually goes down to the city, and he gets to see these people really don't have anything.”

Jon said, “I'm more appreciative of what I have and what I've been given. We shouldn't take anything for granted.”

Jon plans to make the project a nonprofit charity after high school and continue giving out blankets as an adult.

He said his friends are impressed with his mission.

“At least 10 people posted 'I'm very proud of you' on their Facebook pages,” he said.