The Arkansas State Social Work Organization hosted Jean for Teens Tuesday in the student union, allowing A-State students to collect jeans, sweatpants and leggings for local students in need. 

Grace Benedict, a senior social work major from Salem, Arkansas is the event coordinator for the Social work Organization and A- State Association of Black Social Workers. She said she felt this donation would be huge in helping the community.

“We’re collecting Jeans for the teenagers at Annie Camp Junior High School. If you have any jeans or new jeans that don’t fit, then we’ll take them and we’ll give them to the children so they can have something to wear,” Benedict said.

Benedict said she wanted the event to fill the needs of the children in a smaller community.

Paris Thompson, a junior social work major from North Little Rock, is the secretary for the Social Work Organization. She said giving jeans is very manageable.

“If you have any jeans or new jeans that don’t fit, then we’ll take them and we’ll give them to the children so they can have something to wear,” Thompson said. “Sometimes they just need some new clothes.”

Thompson said the Social Work Organization is expected to positively impact recipients by reducing self-image issues related to appearance and providing them with trendier clothes. 

“A lot of kids are bullied for how they look for having nothing. A lot of us probably dress in trends and stuff. I think having some newer clothes would have a positive impact on them. You know, they can have something that’s not a bit ripped up and too nasty,” Thompson said.

I’karia Jones, a junior social work major from Dumas, Arkansas, is in the media chair position for the Social Work Organization. She said the impact of jean donation affects everyone involved. 

“I know, not only will it help kids who are in need, but it also helps parents. It’ll save them stress on making sure their kids have clothes they have adequately, like weather appropriate clothes, because again it’s cold out here and jeans are getting more expensive as it goes,” Jones said.

Jones said the initiative aims to inspire more community members to seek and offer help, fostering a culture of support within the state and potentially beyond.

“It’ll make me appreciate what I have and knowing that I don’t have to rely on other people, but also it is humbling as an experience and it’s just knowing that I helped somebody else,” Jones said.

She said the practicality of jeans for children, noting their durability and the ability for kids to customize them. 

“It’s getting colder outside, and if you go to a store, and often, jeans are like, $20 and, you know, Back when I was a kid Jeans were  $20  which equals the price of two outfits. Most kids, they run around, and mostly just leggings. Jeans have more wear and tear,” Jones said.

Benedict said their donations were not for show but more for the impact and need of the kids. 

“As a kid who grew up on a low income myself, it’s really nice to be able to give back to those kids and in a way that’s not going to embarrass them,” Benedict said.

She said it can be challenging but rewarding to balance on-campus work with community work as a college student.

“I’m just really glad about this project that we’re able to give back to the wider community. I feel like a lot of things that people do is more for stuff to get back into our own campus, which is really good,” Benedict said.

She said she hopes this project creates a free space for people on campus.

“I really wanted it to have an impact on the students here, because I feel like in college, we get so caught up in doing what we need to do that we forget to step back and help our communities around us. That’s being college kids just not your normal demographic that you see volunteering and doing stuff,” Benedict said. “I really hope that it can inspire other people on campus to give back.”

Donation boxes are located at Eugene W. Smith Hall in room 327, student union and residence hall laundry rooms. Donations are due Friday.

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