A group of 65 teenagers from across the Rio Grande Valley spent their week improving the homes of eight families in Donna. 

High school senior Sandra Welliver says she’s noticed the impact she made.

“It's a very hot week, but helping out the community helps you emotionally, you stop noticing the heat. You start noticing how you help people,” Welliver said.

The teens were part of the Catholic Youth Renovation Project, sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville.

Among the homeowners who were helped out with the free renovation was a woman who had a disability and couldn’t get into her bathtub. Her bathroom was upgraded to include an accessible shower. 

"What we look at is how many people are in the home, whether there is a disability in the home,” community organizer Melisa Salazar said. “What the projects are that will help us determine to see if it's something we can do to improve the quality of life." 

Aside from giving back to their community, the activity gives the teens a chance to connect with kids they have never met before.

“It's nice because you make friends with people you wouldn't really connect with if you weren't here,” Welliver said.

While this summer’s work has come to a close. The Catholic Youth Renovation Project is starting to take applications for the next project. 

More information, including how to apply to have your home renovated, is available at the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville website. 

Watch the video above for the full story.