10-Year Old California Girl Celebrated Birthday By Giving Food To The Homeless

It looks like Colin Kaepernick wasn’t the only one celebrating his birthday by giving back to the community. A 10-year-old California girl, Nakayla Simmons of El Cerrito, decided to spend her special day by doing a good deed as well.

The Wilson Elementary School 5th grader gave food to the homeless 11 months ago but this good deed wasn’t publicized as much as Colin’s kind act.

“She’s a really sweet kid,” her mother, Kara Simmons Hernandez said, on Monday.

KTVU reports:

As Hernandez tells it, Nakayla had wanted to do something pretty standard for her birthday, which she celebrated in January: Spend the day jumping at a trampoline party house in Concord.

But then their church, Abounding Grace in El Cerrito, had a bunch of leftover food to donate. The church asked if their family wanted the extra tomatoes, apples and lettuce to give away. 

Nakayla said she’d love to help out. But her mother told her: “You can’t. It’s your birthday this weekend.”

Nakayla answered: “I’d rather do this and give to the homeless. I wanted to help people in need.” 

So, mother and daughter went out to homeless camps in Berkeley, Emeryville and Oakland, handing out food until 9 p.m. that day in January. They made sure everyone had enough to eat. 

“The people were so happy,” Nakayla said. “Some even sang happy birthday to me.”

It wasn’t just the unsheltered people who were thrilled. 

“We got home so late,” Hernandez said. “She was so happy. You could see it in her face.” 

As a reward, her mother said her family threw her a little party the next day anyway., which she clearly deserved. 

Way to go, Nakayla and thank you for helping the community!