A Dacula teen is making it his mission to ensure other kids his own age stay warm this winter. 

Cayden Jackson is collecting gloves, hats, and coats ahead of the temperature dropping in Georgia.

The 15-year-old's passion to help others started at 4 years old, collecting and donating winter clothes.

"I want to collect 5,000 hats, scarves, gloves, and coats," he said. "We're about a third of the way there."

Through his nonprofit, Loved and Protected, he gives warm clothing to kids in foster care and in schools. 

"They tell me a number of kids that need hats, scarves, gloves, and coats. We collect them, package them up, and drop them off at the school," Jackson said.

He's hoping to help as many kids as he can stay warm. 

"When they're facing homelessness, they don't want to worry about if they're going to be warm. They want to worry about school," he said.

Jackson has partnered with Millie Habtemariam. Her salon serves as a collection site.

"When they come in to get their hair cut, we have them bring in coats, scarves, jackets," Habtemariam said.

On a recent day, 8-year-old Will Cooper stopped in at the salon to make a donation.

"I'm so excited. It took us a long time to get here. Me and my dad had bad traffic," Cooper said. "I donated a coat."

Jackson says helping people is his life's mission.

"My mom would read me Psalms 23 every night. One night, she asked me what it meant to me. I said it meant I was loved and protected. Since then, God gave me a plan to start helping kids in need," he said.

It's a mission rooted in love and protection.

Jackson is collecting donations until the third week of December.