(Courtesy photo) Kieran Hummer, who began the blanket collection drive "Kieran's Kovers" when he was 6, is conducting the 10th annual drive this season.

NASHUA — The seasonal blanket collection drive a Nashua teen began when he was a 6-year-old student at Bicentennial Elementary School is now in its 10th year, and once again the YMCA of Greater Nashua once again lending a hand.

Kieran Hummer, now a Bishop Guertin High student who witnessed homelessness up close and personal during a family trip to New York City as a child, was inspired by what he saw to find a way to help homeless folks stay warm in cold weather.

That led to the creation of “Kieran’s Kovers,” which collects donations of new and gently-used blankets throughout Greater Nashua and presents them to the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter for distribution to people in need.

In addition to blankets, the drive also collects new socks, hats, gloves and mittens. Since its inception, Kieran’s Kovers has collected and donated an estimated 2,000 blankets and 3,000 total items.

Kieran hosted the first drive at Bicentennial School, then expanded into the YMCA’s Nashua and Merrimack locations in subsequent years.

Most of the items are collected in the large drop-off containers in the three local YMCA locations: 24 Stadium Drive and 90 Northwest Boulevard in Nashua and 5 Henry Clay Drive in Merrimack.

The drive runs through the end of December.

Anyone with questions can contact Marion Hummer at goodpennstgirl@yahoo.com or go to www.nmymca.org.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.