Kids beautify Bridgeport neighborhood

Bridgeport, Conn. (WTNH) - A group of 100 Bridgeport children are spending part of their summer beautifying their neighborhood. Aided by a group of volunteers, they’re working hard to transform their part of the city.

It may be public housing where they live, but these kids are learning that they do have the power to renew the place in which they live.

From painting apartments to picking up trash and more, a group of eager kids care about where they live, and they're doing it with shovels, rakes, paintbrushes and determination to make a difference.

It's all part of a summer program called Urban Impact , a Christian-based outreach that started two years ago.

Part of what they do is team up volunteers from surrounding communities with residents at the P.T. Barnum apartments to spruce up the place and instill a desire to care about where they live.

"We're seeing that they want to do it. They've never been asked to do it before,” said Jeremy Taylor. “And so we're asking them to clean up and to plant plants and water them, and things like that. And they want to do it. They want to help."

This year some kids are building gardens while others are painting eight apartments.

Despite the summer heat and the young age of some of the volunteers, they don't seem to mind all the hard work.

"They say they like “that everybody is joining in and they're helping out."

Ma'kayla Fuller's reason for being out here is simple.

"I don't want to see something really messy because it breaks my heart to see stuff like that."

With that said, the kids have promised to keep cleaning up all year round.

The reward for their efforts? In addition to the satisfaction of knowing they've done the right thing, the kids get a trip to Six Flags on Friday.