Jon "J.T." Jackson hopes to collect 500 blankets to give to homeless people living in Pittsburgh. Collection boxes like this one are set up at four sites in and around Adams and Cranberry townships.

ADAMS TWP — A Mars Middle School student is hoping to collect 500 blankets before Thanksgiving and hand them out to the homeless.

If the effort is successful, Jon "J.T." Jackson hopes next year to establish his own charity called Keep Yinz Warm.

"I really wanted to do something to help the community," said Jon, who plans to hand out the blankets through a downtown Pittsburgh soup kitchen.

The middle school student, whose biggest passion is golf, got the idea coming home from a trip through downtown Pittsburgh with his mother, Kelly Jackson.

She explained her son saw some men sleeping under a bridge and began to ask questions about why they were sleeping there.

She told her him sometimes all of the homeless shelters are full and people have to sleep out in the cold.

From that point, Jon said he wanted to do something to help people who are less fortunate. He thought about collecting the blankets.

Several Mars area business have put out blanket collection boxes. Jon said he's already collected about 100 blankets.

"He is doing all of this on his own. I think this is phenomenal that a child of 12 has thought of this idea on his own and is aware of people in need," Kelly said.

Jon has even contacted Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch in hopes he will visit Mars Middle School to help get other students interested in helping with the blanket drive.

Blanket donation boxes are at the Mars-Bethel Golf Course along Route 228 in Adams Township, Jimmy's Strip District Grill at 222 Mars-Valencia Road, Rittswood Golf Course at 239 Sheldon Road in Valencia and at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center.