10-Year-Old Girl's Valentine's Day Mission: Help The Homeless

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Maribela Cruz is only 10, but she's on a mission that not a lot of kids her age can understand.

"I asked friends and family if they wanted to donate any backpacks," Maribela said.

This Valentine's Day, she's helping volunteer group CAFFE (Clothing and Food For Everyone) collect backpacks for the homeless.

"She went on Twitter and Pinterest and everything and talked to all her friends at school," (mateo)

She even went door to door to try and meet her goal for the love and compassion backpack drive.

"My goal was 75 and I got 83," Maribela said.

Seeing younger kids get involved in this community service is a big win for this volunteer group

"For them to see who's in our world, the people who live in our world who sometimes we don't notice that we don't pay attention to," said Armando Flores, president of CAFFE.

Maribela was able to help hand them out, too – an experience she will never forget.

"Right now I have a big bag and it's heavy. It's a plastic bag and I don't have nothing to put my stuff in," said Jose Ortiz, who got a new backpack.

Thanks to the volunteers and Maribela, who put her whole heart into this drive, backpacks that have been lost due to the rain are now replaced.

"Some adults [and] kids don't have everything that I have. It feels really good to give back to my community, to the homeless and just make their day," Maribela said.

The group brings food, clothing and other special items to Cesar Chavez Park year-round to help the homeless.