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Volunteers Help 8th Grader Fill Hundreds Of Gift Bags For Homeless Children

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) --  A middle school student is on a mission to make Christmas brighter for homeless kids.

WCCO went to the South Metro to see how she and her army of helpers are making it happen.

This home in Prior Lake looks a little like a North Pole Workshop this weekend. But these aren't Santa's helpers, they are Sanya's helpers.

Sanya Pirani created the non-profit Sanya's Hope For Children several years ago.

"We focus on the main basic necessities of life like food, shelter, clothes, safety and education," said Pirani.

Volunteers helped the 8th grader sew hundreds of bags. On Saturday, they were filled with school supplies, a book and a toy.

They will be given to homeless children around the Metro before Christmas.

"We get to donate these bags, hand donate these bags to the children and it's really an amazing sight to see," explained Pirani.

This year Sanya's Hope For Children will donate about 500 bags.

"We were using a work line, so pretty much we would pack one at a time and we would start at the beginning with a bag, so right now we are just leaving a few things leftover so we can make a new work line for the young adult bags," explained Andrea Reichwald.

Pirani says service is important now more than ever.

"People are constantly struggling, not only in America, not only in Minnesota but around the world," added Pirani. "It's really great that people are stepping up and laying the groundwork to affect poverty."

This is Sanya's fourth year in a row working on this project.

To learn more click here.

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