They gathered at Place Elementary School Monday morning and worked hard to rehabilitate the Foster Place community.
While many of her friends were still asleep, enjoying a day off from school, six-year-old Veronica Carrington was hard at work.
"I'm here to help the neighborhood, growing trees and picking up the trash," Carrington said.
Her whole family spent the day digging, planting, and cleaning up the neighborhood surrounding Foster Elementary School. The kids say it felt good to give back.
"Everybody coming together in one team and just helping, putting more plans and stuff. We don't want to see this place dead anymore," volunteer Brandon Carrington said.
Charlene Smither brought Veronica and four other grandchildren for a family day of service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"It's very important to me for the younger generations to know -- just like my mother and my grandmother shared with me -- the importance that Dr. Martin Luther King did for everybody," Smither said.
"He helped a lot of people and he showed that one person, and many people, can make a difference," volunteer Daveon Bryant said.
"It means a lot to give back to him for what he did for us in the past," volunteer Albert Carrington said.
The event was joint effort between Rebuilding Together Houston and the NBA Cares organization. Dozens of people, including former NBA star Calvin Murphy, turned out to give the area a makeover.
And it's not over yet.
Next month, Veronica's house is one of five that will be revamped by the same partnership, so her family will receive something in return for making the neighborhood a better place.
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