GREENBRIER, Ark. — A home to a family of 11 is left in rubble.
The home belonged to former Arkansas Rep. David Meeks and his family, and thankfully, no one was home when it happened.
The family, who's adopted and fostered nine kids, have a reputation as some of the first people to lend a helping hand.
"I went to work like normal, and my wife took our kids to the gym she attends," David Meeks said. "They said that within 15 minutes, the fire started, and we got a call probably about 30 minutes after that saying that the house was on fire."
The Meeks' family house is still smoking more than 24 hours later.
After school on Wednesday, their eight adopted kids saw it for the first time.
"We have several from one sibling group that have experienced a fire before they came into foster care," Naomi Meeks said. "This is their second house fire, and that breaks my heart."
While the family is devastated after losing everything, the Meeks quickly saw what they had.
"Within 30 minutes of us getting to the home, people were already calling and asking how they could donate and help," David Meeks said.
The Meeks want to use this setback as an example of how great the community is.
"We love Greenbrier, Wooster, Conway," David Meeks said. "But it's Faulkner County, and it's the state of Arkansas that folks have asked, how can we help? What can we do?"
As it turns out, the community feels the same way about them, showing that in bags and bags of donations at The Call, a nonprofit in Conway working to help foster and adoptive families like the Meeks seeing a nonstop flow of donations for a family that couldn't be more grateful.
"They're like in a huge crisis," Faulkner County Call coordinator Megan Hurt said. "They're like, 'Oh, my god, how can we thank you enough?' They've stepped in for nine different kids, and it's just a privilege to know them."
So it may come as no surprise that even standing in front of their burned-down house, the Meeks are thinking about helping others.
And with a long road to rebuild, they can count on Arkansans.
"There are so many other people who need help to have that happy Thanksgiving, to have that merry Christmas," David Meeks said, "It is about community, and it's about folks helping other folks."
To help the Meeks, The Call house always accepts donations and has other volunteer opportunities.