LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Nearly one year after an EF-3 tornado tore through Little Rock, good Samaritans are giving back to some of the hardest hit areas.
After taking a direct hit, people in the Kingwood neighborhood have spent the last year rebuilding. Now, new life is growing in the neighborhood.
"Post-tornado stress disorder is a real thing," Little Rock resident Jerry Shurgar said. "I never thought of that until it happened."
Shurgar is a longtime neighbor in Kingwood and has seen his community recover from the destructive March 31, 2023 tornado.
"You can rebuild structures," Shurgar said. "Structures get rebuilt. OK, clap your hands., but that doesn't put life back into a neighborhood."
This is why Shurgar and his church family decided to do something about it, and now people aren't the only ones growing.
"If they sustained damage and would like a tree, we're going to put one in there," Shurgar said.
It's all a part of the Trinity Cathedral Reforestation Project, and so far, Shurgar said the group has raised about $1,000 to plant trees, which his neighbors don't take for granted.
"Some people have started crying and have come to tears when you say, 'Hey, ma'am, what kind of tree would you like?'" Shurgar said.
In addition to bringing tears and smiles, they also bring wildlife.
"Since we planted the trees, you can see birds' nests," Shurgar said. "Birds started appearing that very day."
Just a street over from Shurgar, Melissa Holt lost a handful of trees in the storm and said she looks forward to replacing some.
"We appreciate it so much," Holt said. "It's just going to make such a difference. It already has in the neighborhoods where they've planted the trees."
Even though the streets look much different now, Shurgar said it's slowly starting to feel like home again.
"People are recognizing the fact that we're healing," Shurgar said. "That's the important thing, and that's what we're trying to do with this project."
The group hopes to raise enough money to complete two more phases of the project and plant trees in Colony West and Walnut Valley.
Click here to donate to the tree project.