So here’s something to make you smile on this Friday morning — about 100 kids and a smattering of adults from Meridian Public Charter School, marching down U Street, enthusiastically encouraging people to help the homeless.

The adorable march hit U Street around 9:30 this morning, and was affiliated with Fannie Mae’s Help the Homeless campaign — it’s what the campaign dubs a “mini-walk,” a program which offers the chance for schools and other community organizations to conduct a minimized version of the big walkathon, which is planned in the D.C. area on November 20. The t-shirts that the program sent to the participants in today’s mini-walk only upped the cute factor — most of them were way too large for what appeared to be five-year-olds.

So how were the kids enjoying their break from the classroom? Without a doubt — the kids were showing off their signs and chanting their infectious “help the homeless, help, help the homeless!” mantra with some serious gusto — I could hear the chant through my windows, well before and after the children passed by. Of course, it wasn’t the only special event on the docket today: “We’re going to the animal shelter!” one little girl enthusiastically told me.