Kids Lend A Helping Hand In OKC Neighborhoods

This week, hundreds of kids made their way from all over the country to lend a helping hand to people in Oklahoma City.

It is part of a Catholic work camp and the project is called "I Heart My Neighborhood."

They work for seven days to transform homes.

One homeowner who was chosen to receive help was Barbara Johnson. Her late husband, who was a painter, did all of the touch ups to the house. But, when he died in 2006, there hasn’t been anyone to come paint.

“It just made me sad every time I looked at it, and how much he would’ve hated it,” said Johnson.

Johnson was about to lose hope until she got a knock on her door.

“These people came up to me and said they would do it and it was so wonderful and I could just kiss them all,” said Johnson.

Many of the kids, like Darren Cardenas, attend the work camp year after year to help people like Johnson.

“When you see the look on their faces when you complete a job, you can just see how happy they are,” said Cardenas.

Many other homeowners, in the same boat as Johnson, received the help also.

The project is going on all week.