LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The recovery efforts continue in Louisiana after a one-two punch of powerful storms.
Hurricane Ida left many towns devastated and Hurricane Nicholas hit just days later.
Even weeks later though, many Arkansans are still down south helping our neighbors.
Just across state lines, hundreds of volunteers from the natural state have spent the last several weeks away from home to help others in rebuilding their own.
Volunteers, like John Pearce, from the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.
"Us being on the ground gives them hope that there is something better. That tomorrow is a better day," he said.
For the Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief Organization, Pearce said that hope is given through much more than physical necessities, like food to eat and extra hands to help.
"We're here to listen to people's stories, we're here to help them with the grief, that's how we do it just to help others as much as we can," he said.
According to Pearce, in just 17 days on the ground, the group of roughly 214 volunteers has cooked over 55,000 meals and completed 112 jobs.
"We start in the morning around 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. Then, we finish our day. It's been between 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. at night trying to get that all together," he said.
While they're on the ground, another group of Arkansans is lending a hand in the skies.
"At the beginning of the restoration process, the co-op, was only about 5% of their members had electric service," Rob Roedel with Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas said.
The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas dispatched more than 200 members two weeks ago.
According to Roedel, thanks to their efforts nearly 80% of that area now has their lights back on.
"At this stage in the game is where it takes a little bit longer, because they restored the largest pockets of consumers first and then they spread out to the more remote areas," he said.
The work isn't done yet though.
According to Roedel, 200 more lineman are preparing to head south this week because they know their neighbors would do the same.
"They realize at some point in time somebody may be helping their families, just like they're helping their families down in Houma," he said.