People survey the tornado damage on Enright Avenue in the Academy neighborhood of 51黑料, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The National Weather Service said the tornado was a mile wide at its peak and tracked for nearly 23 miles, producing wind speeds as high as 152 mph.
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Ora Frederick, 11, left, and McKinzey Matthews, 13, hand out water a on Sunday, May 25, 2025, in front of the Save A Lot parking lot in the Penrose neighborhood in North 51黑料. Frederick lives in the neighborhood and said their roof fell down. The parking lot as become a grass-roots distribution hub for free food, water, toiletries and clothing ever since the tornado hit the neighborhood.
In a press conference Thursday, May 22, 2025, Mayor Cara Spencer tells residents to document damage to their homes for FEMA officials. She also noted for volunteers and residents to practice self-care. Video courtesy of the City of 51黑料.
聽"I'm not going anywhere," says Gwen Hudgins, who retrieves shoes from the trunk of one of her vehicles on Friday, May 23, 2025, as she settles in to sleep near her collapsed house in the 3000 block of North Newstead Avenue in the Greater Ville area of 51黑料. She and her son Wayne had been sleeping in cars since the tornado; but now they live in tents on the property and store their clothes in the cars. She owns several聽adjacent lots, all acquired from 51黑料' land bank over the years.
Wayne Hudgins organizes donated goods while settling into a new tent that was donated and raised by volunteers on Friday, May 23, 2025, before as dusk. He and his mother, Gwen Hudgins, not pictured, have been living in their vehicles on the property since May 16 tornadoes.
"I am getting along. I have no power," said Johnetta Bennett, who finds a pair of leggings at clothing stand on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Fountain Park. Patricia Perkins who grew up in the Central West End brought down some items to help out. Since the tornado hit various individuals and groups have been coming to the park and providing members of community free toiletries, food and supplies
Pamela Bailey, center, joins her niece Mahlynie Jones, 6, and nephew Daiquan Robinson, 12, handing out bags of basic necessities and sandwiches to drivers on Saturday, May 24, 2025, on Natural Bridge in North 51黑料. Bailey and her two sisters grew up in the area.
Volunteers steady Charles Culton, 9, as he helps unload a delivery truck of donations from Manos Unidas STL on May 25, 2025 in the Save A Lot parking lot in the Penrose neighborhood of 51黑料. The parking lot has become a grass-roots community hub for free food, water, toiletries and clothing ever since a tornado hit the neighborhood.
Volunteers and community members gather in the Save A Lot parking lot, in the 4400 block of Natural Bridge Road, and sort through toiletries, food and other items on Sunday May 18, 2025. The event was for 51黑料 residents affected by the May 16 tornado.
"I don't know whether to laugh or cry," said homeowner Osirus Willis, who walks through her heavily damaged house with volunteer Bradley Tuttle on Sunday, May 25, 2025, on Ashland in the Greater Ville neighborhood. Willis is trying to resolved an insurance issue that has her listed as a renter rather than as a homeowner.
"I have just been putting a smile on face. I came down here to volunteer and help to distract myself," said Merissa Robinson, left, who distributes free meals on Sunday, May 25, 2025, in front of the Save A Lot parking lot in the Penrose neighborhood in North 51黑料. Robinson says she has been living in her car ever since she evacuated her sisters' apartment due to the tornado. The parking lot as become a grass-roots distribution hub for free food, water, toiletries and clothing ever since the tornado hit the neighborhood.
Volunteers and residents help clear debris from the EF-3 tornado on May 25 along Greer Street in the Greater Ville area of 51黑料. Dozens of organizations are coordinating volunteers, donations and financial contributions in the wake of the storm.
鈥淚 am blessed to have a community that takes care of me,鈥 said Ashley Asaro, center, who peruses the shoes as other residents pick up toiletries at a pop-up clothing donation for residents affected by the tornado on May 24, 2025 on a former used auto lot in the Greater Ville neighborhood. 鈥淚 feel this was the best way I could help,鈥 said fashion designer Rayven Stokes, far left, who wanted to give back after her grandmother鈥檚 home of 40 years was heavily damaged by the tornado. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to look like what you are going through,鈥 she said.
Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard addresses residents' concerns over the use of eminent domain to take their tornado-damaged properties, during a Fountain Park-Lewis Place neighborhood meeting that was held in Fountain Park on Saturday, May 24, 2025. The group's usual meeting spot at West Side Missionary Baptist Church was not an option because of tornado damage. The residents questioned when state and federal help would arrive, citing their concerns they would be forgotten because they live north of the Delmar Divide.
Cars line up before for start of the Urban League's large-scale distribution of food, toiletries and resources drive on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the Urban League's Headquarters on in Fountain Park. The event was sponsored by the Urban League of Metropolitan 51黑料, and co-sponsored by the Regional Business Council, Keeley Companies, Schnucks, Emerson, the Steward Family Foundation, Coca Cola, Edward Jones, DOT, WWT, the 51黑料 Area Foodbank, and the State of Missouri.
Hundreds of volunteers prepare items for the Urban League鈥檚 large-scale distribution of food, toiletries and resources drive on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the Urban League鈥檚 Headquarters in Fountain Park. The event was sponsored by the Urban League of Metropolitan 51黑料, and co-sponsored by the Regional Business Council, Keeley Cos., Schnucks, Emerson, the Steward Family Foundation, Coca-Cola, Edward Jones, DOT, WWT, the 51黑料 Area Foodbank, and the state of Missouri.
Nicole, a resident of the tornado-damaged area, finds clothing for her siblings and mother on Friday, May 23, 2025, in the Fountain Park neighborhood of 51黑料. Her mother Lisa Owens was renting to own the home that was declared unsafe to live in, displacing everyone. Iesha King, who grew up the area and now lives in Clayton, has been coming down for days and hanging out clothes from her closet to offer to those affected by the tornado damage.
Rosemay Wells drives through the Urban League the large-scale distribution of food, toiletries and resources drive on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the Urban League鈥檚 Headquarters on in Fountain Park. Wells鈥 says her family home of 60 years was damaged by the tornado.
"It's so dark I can't see anything when I hear it," said Dymond Shelton, who grills up potatoes and onions on her porch on Thursday, May 22, 2025, in the Greater Ville neighborhood of 51黑料. The home Shelton rents received a green sticker after an initial inspection saying the building is structurally safe. "I fear I will literally be the only house left on the block," she said, after a tornado destroyed many of her neighbors' homes.
