Posted by Andrea Durway
St. Louis Tornado Relief
On Friday, May 16th, a devastating EF-3 tornado swept through the St. Louis area, leaving a trail of destruction and heartbreak. With winds reaching up to 152 mph, the tornado carved a 22-mile path through densely populated neighborhoods before crossing into Illinois. Five people lost their lives and 38 were injured. Roughly 5,000 buildings were affected, including homes, businesses, public facilities, with a damage estimate in excess of $1 billion.
The tornado first touched down near Richmond Heights, east of the I-170/I-64 interchange and moved rapidly through Clayton. Then in entered the City of St. Louis passing through:
- Wydown/Skinker
- Forest Park
- DeBaliviere Place
- The Ville
- Fountain Park
- Kingsway East / West
- Penrose
- Greater Ville
- O’Fallon Park
Most fatalities and major damage clusters were concentrated in the Ville, Fountain Park, and Kingsway neighborhoods.
Recovery Efforts
While the extent of the damage is overwhelming, the resilience and compassion of St. Louis residents shine through. Citizens, non-profits, and government are all organizing to assist. Here’s how you can support recovery efforts:
Monetary Donations
If you’re able to give financially, these organizations are providing direct support to those impacted:
United Way STL Area Severe Storm/Tornado Relief Fund
Offers direct financial assistance to survivors in the St. Louis area.
Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
Accepting donations through their Humanitarian Fund to support local recovery efforts.
St. Louis Realtors® Association
If you prefer to give financially, both the Missouri REALTORS® Relief Fund and the REALTOR® Housing Assistance Fund (RHAF) are accepting donations. RHAF has pledged that any funds received for this campaign designated for tornado relief will go directly to storm victims and will not be used for general grants or fundraising. Fill out our form to donate directly to the RHAF Tornado Relief Fund. Please specify in the comment section below that your donation is for the ‘Tornado Relief.’
Supply Donations
Essential items like tools, plywood, tarps, non-perishable food, bottled water, diapers, hygiene products, and clean clothing are in high demand. Needs change daily—check with these local Instagram accounts for updates:
Drop-Off Locations for Tornado Relief
YMCA – O’Fallon Park
4343 W. Florissant Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63115
Drop off between 10AM – 3PM
Note: you can also order supplies online and have them drop-shipped to this location.
Urban League HQ – fountain park
1408 Kingshighway Blvd Suite 108, St. Louis, MO 63113
4 The Ville – The Ville
4144 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63113
South City Storm Response – TGS
Power Creative – 3221 Oak Hill Avenue, St. Louis MO 63166
Drop off between 12PM – 5PM
Work & Leisure STL – midtown
3015 Locust Street, St. Louis, MO 63103
Drop-off Hours: Monday – Thursday, 10 AM – 6 PM
@workandleisurestl
STL-Style House – Benton Park
3159 Cherokee Street, St. Louis, MO 63118
Drop off items between 12 PM – 4PM any day but Monday
@stlstylehouse
St. Louis Realtors® Association – Creve Coeur
12777 Olive Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63141
Visit website for specific items
Volunteer Opportunities for St. Louis Tornado Relief
Several groups are organizing boots-on-the-ground efforts for cleanup and relief.
For food and supplies distribution at the O’Fallon Park YMCA location, visit:
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS TORNADO RELIEF
Some of the hardest-hit places were the child care centers that serve our youngest learners. St. Louis Early Childhood Tornado Response Team is organizing a volunteer-led cleanup and restoration effort to support centers and families impacted by the recent storm. There is a significant need for volunteers and donors. This is a combined effort of Ready Readers, STAR Inc. SouthSide Early Childhood Center, Turn The Page STL, United 4 Children, WEPOWER, Baden Christian Child Care Center, Gateway Early Childhood Alliance, and more.
For more information on helping, go to this link.
Stay Informed
For the most up-to-date info on tornado recovery and relief, visit: City of St. Louis Tornado 2025 Recovery Page
We love you, St. Louis. The road to recovery won’t be easy, but we believe in this city and the people who call it home. We’ll get better—together.
