St. Louis tornado relief and recovery: Ways to help

As St. Louis navigates its way through the damage and destruction of Friday, May 16, local organizations and individuals have risen to the challenge. As an evolving guide to area resources, drives, and events, this post will continue to be updated as SLM receives new information. Know of a relief effort not mentioned here? Contact Emily Adams at [email protected].

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Ways to Help (donations, volunteering, fundraising)
Area Resources (shelter, emergency assistance)
Community Support (organizations offering assistance)

Follow St. Louis Magazine‘s coverage of the St. Louis tornado here and on Instagram.

Ways to help

Donate supplies here:

Greater St. Louis and St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer are calling to the community for “much-needed supplies in advance of additional bad weather expected in the region Monday, May 19, and Tuesday, May 20,” including tools, plywood, tarp, caulk, and wood screws. Donations can be made at the O’Fallon Park YMCA (4343 W. Florissant), The Urban League headquarters (Kingshighway and Page), and 4 the Ville (4144 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
Donate food and supplies to Food City STL at the YMCA emergency hub (4343 W. Florissant).
Salvation Army donations can be made here.
Donate hot meals, fresh produce, and emergency supplies to Sikhs of MO. Follow their social media for current drop-off locations.
Work & Leisure STL (3015 Locust) is accepting non-perishable food items, bottled water, diapers, formula, hygiene supplies, clean clothes, and laundry supplies.
A daily donation drop-off of emergency resources can be found @theBLOCK.
City Foundry has announced that the first of its new series of Live Art Markets will be dedicated to providing relief to affected communities. Tornado Relief Night is scheduled for May 21 from 5:30–8:30 p.m. and includes a non-perishable food drive, as well as other fundraising and volunteer opportunities.
STL-Style is accepting donations of supplies for victims, volunteers, and first responders from 12-4 p.m. at 3159 Cherokee any day but Monday.
Ethical Bodies and The Good-ish (2610 Cherokee) are taking donations of water, flashlights, batteries, non-perishable food, gloves, trash bags, first aid kits, masks, safety glasses, supply bags, and power banks from 12-4 p.m. on May 18.
Brick City Yoga is collecting pet supplies following CARE STL’s urgent call for pet fosters and goods. “All donations will be delivered directly to CARE STL to support animals in need and the families who love them.”
In exchange for a free draft beer, Rockwell Beer Company (1320 S. Vandeventer) is collecting tarps, gloves, canned goods, diapers, personal hygiene products, blankets, pillows, air mattresses, and cleaning supplies. The business is also offering free Wi-Fi to anyone affected.
Honey bee’s biscuits + good eats (200 N. Kirkwood) is accepting supply donations on the restaurant’s patio. Their team plans on doing loops back and forth into the city throughout Monday, May 19 to deliver items.
Kirkwood Youth Hockey and Instagram account @stlouisstarterpacks have partnered on a tornado relief donation drive at Kirkwood’s Off-Ice Training Facility (1840 Fenpark) on May 20 from 4-9 p.m. The group is accepting bottled water, tarps, batteries, extension cords, flashlights, phone chargers, lanterns, surge protectors, trash bags, non-perishable food items, diapers and wipes, and infant formula.
The St. Louis Early Childhood Tornado Response Team is hosting a supply drive on May 21 at 602 W. Kirkham in Webster Groves. The needed supplies list includes outdoor play toys, hygiene products, water, non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, diapers, formula, and infant care items.
City Sprouts (8807 Ladue) is collecting diapers, wipes, formula, and new or gently used baby and children’s clothing through May 22 for donations to St. Louis Crisis Nursery and The Urban League of St. Louis.
Plywood and water are the biggest needs for the 4theVille (4144 Dr. Martin Luther King) supply site, as well as construction and clean-up materials, batteries, flashlights, Lysol wipes, power banks, and charcoal for outdoor grills. A mobile shower has now been set up at this location, so donations of towels, shower shoes, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, and toothpaste are also needed. Relief efforts at this location will continue through Friday, June 6 (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)
Water is also a major need for Action St. Louis’ drive at The O’Fallon Park Rec Center (4343 W. Florissant), as well as tarps, rope, staple guns, batteries, flashlights, diapers, baby and body wipes, formula, solar-powered lights, reusable bags, tents, ponchos, and non-perishable foods. Relief efforts at this location will resume Tuesday, June 3, and continue through Friday, June 6, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. each day.
The Luminary (2701 Cherokee) is hosting a drop-off location for tornado relief supplies May 20–May 25, noon–4 p.m. All donations will be taken to the O’Fallon Park donation hub or distributed directly to individuals in North St. Louis who have reached out with specific needs.
CAM is serving as a drop-off site May 20–25, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., for supplies and is coordinating with Saint Louis Public Schools to distribute donations to students and families in North St. Louis. Requested donations include bottled water, hygiene supplies, household and cleaning products, bedding, baby supplies, and wet-weather support.
Frizzy by Nature and SweetArt are partnering this week with Walmart to collect hygiene product and monetary donations. Donation drop-off is at SweetArt (3701 Lindell).
Mission: St. Louis’ SHOW ME PEACE and Outreach + Engagement teams are delivering supplies to those affected, removing trees and debris from neighborhoods, and serving meals to neighbors. Requested donations include: water, non-perishable food, gloves, tents, tarps, wet-weather gear, flashlights, paper towels, cleaning products, first aid kits, hygiene products, towels, blankets, and powerpacks or portable chargers. Donations can be dropped off Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at 3108 N. Grand.
SqWires Restaurant & Market is continuing to serve as a designated drop-off point to collect essential items for neighbors in need. The team will be dropping off items on Friday, May 23, to O’Fallon Park Recreation Center. For a list of requested donations, click here.
The Islamic Foundation of St. Louis is helping with disaster relief by collecting donated supplies and funds. Donation details can be found here.
St. Louis County Library will be accepting tornado relief donations at all 20 branches from May 22–May 28. Most-needed items include tarps, duct tape, child-sized and adult masks, batteries (AA, C or D), flashlights, camping lanterns (solar and battery-powered), battery packs or rechargeable battery packs, phone charging blocks, and work gloves. Donations will be distributed by the BRIC at Fountain Park.
Frisella Landscape Group is collecting tornado relief items to support residents across the region. Frisella Nursery’s Defiance location (550 Hwy F) is collecting donations Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and on Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The design center at 2214 S. Big Bend in Richmond Heights welcomes donations Monday–Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Crimson Serpents Outpost (4254 Manchester) in The Grove is taking donations for the People’s Response Hub at the O’Fallon Rec Center. The shop’s social media platforms are updated daily with what supplies Action St. Louis needs. Fifteen percent of all sales May 21–25 will also be donated to Action St. Louis’ tornado response fund.
HSMO is asking for those interested in helping to consider fostering or adopting an animal to help free up space for tornado-impacted animals in the shelter or to provide collars, leashes, and other supplies through HSMO’s Amazon Tornado Supply Pet Wishlist.
Procure STL and GemU Vintage have partnered to collect both clothing and essential supplies through the end of June, including gently-used spring and summer clothing and shoes (all sizes, genders, and ages) and supplies and toiletries.
Project Circles of Support will host a tornado relief donation drive on June 14 from 9 a.m.–noon at Lutheran High School North (5401 Lucas and Hunt).
For an easy reference, view the below map created by Joshua Lawrence for area relief drop-offs and open libraries with resources.

A woman unloads water from a truck. — Volunteers unload cases of water from the back of a truck in the parking lot of the O’Fallon Park Recreational Complex on May 20, 2025. It’s the base of operations for Action St. Louis’ response to a massive EF-3 tornado that ripped through north St. Louis less than a week earlier.

Donate money here:

Donate to the City of St. Louis Tornado Response Fund here.
Make monetary donations to The United Way STL Area Severe Storm/Tornado Relief Fund.
Support the MADE Makerspace’s (5127 Delmar) repairs via its relief fund.
To enforce efforts to rebuild Fountain Park’s Centennial Christian Church, give to the Centennial Community Relief Fund.
The Urban League of Metropolitan Humanitarian Fund can be contributed to here, and volunteers can contact them at 314-337-3683.
Visit this GoFundMe page to assist individual families and businesses directly through verified fundraisers.
Several local activist organizations have teamed up to create the Saint Louis Tornado Relief Drive on May 18. More information can be found here.
You can contribute to Mattingly’s Embroidery fundraiser by purchasing their “We Are Together” t-shirts here.
Donate to Heatup/Cooldown STL to help provide utility assistance.
The St. Louis branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation is collecting donations for mutual aid efforts in North St. Louis.
Gladiator Consulting gathering funds to work with local nonprofits to provide prescription medicines, shelter, and supplies to those in need.
Keyway Center for Diversion and Reentry is raising money to repair damage and continue operations at its Sharon’s House building.
DJ Agile One is taking donations for tornado relief throughout the week at Artbar at Angad Arts Hotel (3550 Samuel Shepard).
Rx Outreach’s relief program is offering a 90-day supply of medications to those in need. Donate to the program here.
Mann Meats (300 Saint Ferdinand, Florissant) has been preparing and delivering hot meals to tornado victims each day. The direct link for donations is here.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis has received more than 1,500 assistance requests and is working quickly to help those with immediate needs. Donate to the efforts here.
Donate to Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief’s efforts to aid first responders and cleanup crews here.
C&M Interiors is collecting donations via Venmo to purchase and deliver hygiene items, flashlights, and other critical supplies for those affected.
St. Elizabeth’s Adult Day Care Centers are urgently seeking monetary donations and essential supplies to support families impacted by the storm. All contributions will go directly to those in need. For drop-off locations and most-needed items, click here.

Volunteers clearing debris. — Volunteers work to clear downed trees, asphalt shingles and other debris downed by an EF-3 tornado four days earlier on St. Ferdinand Ave. in the Greater Ville neighborhood on May 20, 2025. It took about 90 minutes for roughly two dozen volunteers to clear the block.

Volunteer here:

ForTheCultureSTL and Action St. Louis have been organizing a group volunteer effort to support food and supplies distributions. Sign up here.
The St. Louis Area Foodbank is calling for volunteers to assist with debris removal and cleanup, as well as sorting and distributing food, water, and essential supplies to individuals affected by the storm. Sign up here.
Join the Sunday Clean-Up with Lifeline Aid Group and follow their social media page for future meetups.
St. Louis Early Childhood Tornado Response Team is organizing volunteer-led cleanup and restoration efforts to support affected child care centers.
Collections by Joya is supplying work gloves, trash bags, and work glasses at its Webster Groves shop (46 W. Lockwood) for volunteers on their way into the city and is donating 25 percent of its sales to United Way’s campaign.
St. Louis Diaper Bank is requesting volunteers on May 20 from 1–3 p.m., as well as diaper and female hygiene products.
Food City is coordinating with Alderwoman Daniela Velazquez to distribute food and supplies from South City to neighborhoods in West and North City. The donation site is Power Creative (3221 Oak Hill).
City Sewing Room is organizing an effort to make tote bags, filled with supplies, for tornado relief efforts on May 21. Can’t make it? Pick up the materials from 6700 Arsenal, which is also a supply donation site, and create from home.
JustServe’s local chapter is organizing information for multiple disaster relief volunteer needs.
Sign up here to be notified of other disaster-related volunteer opportunities.
Volunteers are needed at City Foundry today between 4–7 p.m. to sort through donated items and get them ready for distribution hubs, where they will be donated directly to child care centers and the families they serve. Other shifts are available today through Saturday. Sign up here to volunteer.
The United Way of Greater St. Louis Volunteer Center has already connected more than 2,500 volunteers with local disaster relief opportunities; individuals looking to help can sign up at stlvolunteer.org/disaster.

Hear how a local mom of five, Ali Rand, is helping rebuild after the tornado—and how you can help—on the House of Lou podcast.

Shop and dine here:

St. Louis Magazine has partnered with Series Six to release two new additions to the brand’s Support Local Series, with 100 percent of profits supporting United Way of Greater St. Louis Severe Storm/Tornado Relief Fund and Forest Park Forever. Pick one up here.
Procure STL (3725 Foundry Way, Unit 137) is leading a donation drive and 10 percent give-back program at its City Foundry STL location. The shop is accepting dry foods, hygiene products, and cleaning products.
ClayByTay will donate the proceeds from all St. Louis landmark mugs sold this week to tornado relief.
On May 24, all Katie’s Pizza & Pasta locations will donate all proceeds to Catholic Charities of St. Louis, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the American Red Cross.
Kenny’s Upstairs (3131 S. Grand) is donating 100 percent of its net profits from the Turbo Lover and Evil Fantasies cocktails this weekend to tornado relief efforts.
All proceeds from Kaldi’s retail coffee bean sales will be donated to the United Way St. Louis’ Tornado Support Fund through May 23. Customers can also donate by rounding up at the register.
Seedz Cafe (6344 S. Rosebury) will donate 10 percent of revenue from May 20–25 to local storm relief efforts.
Rudy’s Flower Truck is donating 25 percent of its sales this week to a different organization aiding tornado vicitms.
The 314andCounting Etsy shop designed a “Storm Tested, St. Louis Strong” T-shirt for which $5 of each sale will be donated to the United Way relief fund.
Stop by Winslow’s Table on Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. for lemonade and sweet treats to support the St. Louis chapters of the United Way and Urban League. Cash and Venmo will be accepted.
Twenty-five percent of all sales on May 21 from Expat, Fordo’s, and NOTA will be donated to tornado relief funds.
Le Meridien St. Louis Clayton will donate 100 percent of ticket sales for its Au Soleil Thursday pool events in May 2025 to tornado relief efforts.
As part of Ted Drewes opening week, a portion of all sales from the South Grand location will be toward tornado relief efforts through May 25.
Kalbi Taco Shack is donating 10 percent of May 21 earnings to the United Way of Greater St. Louis Tornado Relief Fund, as well as participating in City Foundry’s Relief Night.
The Novel Neighbor is donating 10 percent of proceeds from this week to organizations doing the ground work to rebuild the parts of St. Louis that need help most. Staff will also be organizing a donation drop-off and volunteer day on Sunday with Action STL.
Donate $50 to The Vault Luxury Resale’s tornado relief fund for a chance to win an $11,700 Chanel bag.
Through June 30, all ticket purchases at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema’s St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri, locations will include the option to donate $1, $3, or $5 to aid in tornado relief.
On May 24, for every Katie’s Pizza & Pasta product purchased at Dierbergs, $2 will be donated to the American Red Cross to aid in local tornado relief efforts.
“St. Louis Strong” T-shirts are available at STL Authentics. All of the proceeds will benefit American Red Cross Disaster Relief Efforts and the United Way of Greater St. Louis Severe Storm/Tornado Relief Fund.
5 Star Burgers is donating 100 percent of sales to disaster relief on Monday, May 26.
Join the Humane Society of Missouri at the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station on Saturday, May 31 for an adoption event to help animals that have been displaced by the tornado.
From June 2 to June 8, $1 from every Lee’s Famous Recipe® Chicken Battlehawks Box sold at participating St. Louis locations will be donated to the United Way Tornado Relief Fund and the St. Louis Battlehawks.
From June 2–7, 10 percent of all sales at The Cup‘s Central West End and Edwardsville, Illinois, locations will benefit Refresh Community Church’s Tornado Relief Fund.
Build Back the Block, a tornado relief concert organized by HuSTL Hospitality, will be held on June 17 at the Delmar Maker’s Locale. The concert will feature Funky Butt Brass Band with most of the members of the band The Urge and DJ Bill Reiter and coincides with the reopening of Steve’s Hot Dogs on Delmar and its sister restaurant The Fountain on Delmar, two businesses directly impacted by the tornado.
The St. Louis Cardinals, Battlehawks, Blues, and CITY S.C. are uniting to raise funds for tornado recovery in St. Louis during a special broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network with support from Anheuser-Busch. The June 6 Cardinals vs. Dodgers game produced and televised by FanDuel Sports Network and simulcast on KMOV and Matrix Midwest will raise awareness of tornado recovery efforts and highlight exclusive experiences each team contributed for fans to bid on during a special auction offering a range of exclusive fan experiences.
All proceeds from this Ope Outdoors relief shirt will be donated to Action St. Louis’ ongoing efforts to restore and uplift the neighborhoods most affected by the tornado.
Dewey’s Pizza is hosting a Give Back Night in response to the tornado; from 4–10 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, Dewey’s will donate 20 percent of all sales from eight area locations to the Gateway Region YMCA’s Tornado Relief Fund.

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Storm damage outside the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Area resources

Find shelter

The Greater St. Louis chapter of the American Red Cross (1-800-RED CROSS) has opened the following shelters:

Friendly Temple Outreach Center (6356 Dr. Martin Luther King)
Urban League Peter Bunce Campus (2125 Bissell)
Peter & Paul Community Services–Garfield Building (2612 Wyoming)
Refresh Community Church (829 N. Hanley)
Ferguson Church of the Nazarene (1309 N. Elizabeth)

Each shelter will meet immediate needs such as food, water, and basic medical assistance. The shelters do not require ID or proof of residency.

Viciniti Corporate Housing is offering temporary, fully furnished apartments to those impacted. A security deposit may be required. Pets are welcome, and housewares, linens, towels, utilities, and Wi-Fi are included. Contact them with this reference code: STL51625.

Emergency assistance

The St. Louis Neighborhood Resource Center at Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (1408 N. Kingshighway) offers information and storm-response resources.
To access the United Way 211 Service for Health and Human Services, visit 211helps.org or call 211.
For emergency non-English language support, contact Gilberto Pinela, Director of the Office of New Americans–at [email protected].
U-Haul is offering St. Louis storm victims 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box container usage.
The Annie Malone Crisis Center (5355 Page) will be providing free food and supplies, as well as on-site case management services to connect families with resources.
For downed power lines, call Ameren at 800-552-7583. For outages, use the online Outage Center or call 800-755-5000.
Contact Spire for natural gas issues at 800-887-4173.
For downed trees and debris, contact the Citizens’ Service Bureau.
If you need assistance with your pet or need pet food delivered to you, call the The Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Task Force at 314-647-4400.
Visit @stlcitygov for ongoing tornado resources. Click the link in their bio for details.

The future home of Nixta was damaged. — The future home of Nixta was among the businesses damaged in a major storm on May 16, 2025.

Community support

St. Louis County Libraries are open for safe space, Wi-Fi, and electronics charging stations.
The Contemporary Art Museum is open to the public for free admission as well, with access to Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, and electronics charging.
Grab free barbecue, clothes, and perishables at Treasures Lounge in the Central West End (4517 Olive) on May 18. Donations will also be accepted.
Contact @hipointedrivein via direct message if you or someone you know needs a meal.
Private Chef Tese, @bonappetese, is offering free plates to anyone impacted.
St. Louis ArtWorks, in partnership with Healing the City, is opening Sunday morning at 5959 Delmar to offer needed resources, and World Central Kitchen will distribute 500 lunches at noon.
Baked & Boiled (1801 S. 9th) in Soulard is offering take-what-you-need until they sell out on May 18.
The RFC (4220 Gannett) is offering free six month memberships to small businesses that have lost their office or workspace. The lifestyle and business center will provide space to as many businesses as they can accommodate. If the volume of applicant exceeds available space, The RFC will prioritize based on need.
For those who need a work space, TechArtista is offering free day passes all week at Downtown and University City locations.
During May and June, Suite Soul will be offering free 30-minute therapy sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays to anyone impacted by the storm. To schedule, call 314-252-8221 or email [email protected].
The St. Louis Development Corporation has set up an assessment form to help understand the needs of businesses impacted by the storm.
The BRIC is sharing food, supplies, first aid, and free mental health support on the spot in impacted neighborhoods.
Faith Missionary Baptist Church (4738 National Bridge) is offering hot dogs, popcorn, snow cones, water, and juice on Saturday, May 24, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
MADE Makerspace (5127 Delmar) is offer free guided art sessions this week for anyone feeling the emotional impact of the recent storm, led by “artists trained in supporting social-emotional well-being through art.”
Recognizing that many individuals may have lost vital documents and identification, the Office of the Recorder of Deeds, Michael Butler, is implementing flexible procedures to ensure that no one is turned away in their time of need. Residents seeking assistance or more information should visit the Recorder of Deeds Office at City Hall or call 314-622-4610.
Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization, is partnering with Bonhomme Presbyterian Church in Chesterfield to help families clean up their homes.
Tournament officials announced that all funds generated through May 31 for Stifel Charity Classic Grounds and Clubhouse tickets will be donated to the American Red Cross of Missouri to support St. Louis area tornado relief and recovery.
St. Louis County Library is partnering with Delmar DivINe, St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, Operation Food Search, and Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief to provide free diapers, period supplies, and food on May 22 starting at 11 a.m. while supplies last. Walk-ups are welcome; distribution will be at Delmar DivINe (5501 Delmar). Information about library resources such as social workers, Wi-Fi hotspots, and other services will also be available.
Join the Tornado Relief Cookout on Saturday, May 24, from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at 1422 N. Taylor for free food, music, supplies, and community support to aid those impacted by the recent storm.
Saint Louis Public Schools, The Little Bit Foundation, and SLPS Foundation have announced the opening of a temporary resource center, opening June 2, at Metro Academic and Classical High School (4015 McPherson) for district families impacted by the May 16 tornado. The center will serve as a centralized hub for families to receive essential items and also work with case managers to address their current needs. View a list of needed donations here.
Current debris drop-off sites include Marshall School (4322 Aldine), DeAndreis/Bunche School (4257 Clarence), and Farragut Elementary (4025 Sullivan).
North St. Louis families whose housing and/or childcare was impacted by the May 16 tornado are invited to a free, drop-in summer camp for children ages 6–14 at CAM on Wednesdays in June from 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.