Teens for Jeans: It's Better to Give Than to Receive

Here's a great idea for teens: Donate your gently used jeans at any Aéropostale store in the U.S. and Canada and know that they will be given to teenagers who are homeless. The fourth annual Teens for Jeans Campaign -- sponsored by Aéropostale and DoSomething.org -- is hoping to collect its one millionth pair of jeans during this year's drive. And, to kick things off, the clothing retailer will donate 10,000 pairs of brand new jeans.

In addition to collecting the badly needed jeans, the campaign also hopes to raise awareness among teens about the one-third of homeless people who are under the age of 18. Serving as campaign spokespeople are Matt Lanter and Jessica Lowndes from the show 90210. "I'm excited to be a part of an initiative that proves the power of young people," says Lanter. "We want our fans to run jeans drives in their schools and communities to help us reach this goal." Lowndes and Lanter star in a public service announcement launching today.

Starting Monday, January 17 and running until Sunday, February 13, people are encouraged to bring any brand of their favorite gently worn jeans to an Aéropostale store in the U.S. or Canada. The jeans will be donated to a local youth shelter in the area. An added bonus for participation is that for each pair donated, Aéropostale will give the donor an additional 25 percent off a new pair of jeans, though no purchase is required.

The Teens for Jean Campaign is encouraging teenagers in their local high schools and colleges to coordinate drives. The school collecting the most jeans will win $5000 and a party for the entire school. Teens will also have the opportunity to win signed jeans from Matt, Jessica and other young stars.