05/25/2025
St. Louis, MO – In response to the devastating tornadoes that struck St. Louis on May 16, damaging more than 4,500 structures and displacing families across the region, the Greater St. Louis Restaurant Association (GSTLRA) is mobilizing a large-scale relief effort to support impacted residents and help the city begin its path to recovery.
On Sunday, May 25, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., GSTLRA will host a community food distribution event at: End Times Christian Assembly Church 4723 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, St. Louis, MO. The initiative aims to serve at least 1,000 St. Louisans with prepared meals, beverages, and essential supplies. The effort will be powered by local restaurant owners, volunteers, and community partners.
We are asking businesses, residents, and supporting organizations to help us facilitate donations and volunteers to support the residents of St. Louis. We are looking for cold foods that are ready to eat and non-perishables to support this effort. Food donations should be dropped off in two shifts: 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.
We are also looking for volunteers to join us in supporting our initiative with Big Brothers and Big sisters of Eastern Missouri. Volunteers can help with food assembly, distribution of food, and traffic control.
This relief event is being made possible by the generosity and partnership of several local businesses and organizations:
· Anheuser-Busch Donating 1,000 bottles of water
· Tocco Foods Providing use of a cooling truck for food storage
· Natural Tableware – Supplying sustainable food containers
· Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri – Volunteer coordination
· End Times Christian Assembly – Hosting the event onsite End Times Christian Assembly Church 4723 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, St. Louis, MO.
The initiative aims to serve at least 1,000 St. Louisans with prepared meals, beverages, and essential supplies. Local restaurant owners, volunteers, and community partners will power the effort.
Those unable to attend the event can still support the effort by donating funds to assist with the restoration of local businesses and ongoing relief work. For those interested in donating, the Missouri Restaurant Association started a St. Louis Restaurant Tornado Relief Fund to support restaurants around the city of St. Louis that have been impacted by the severe weather. They can donate through this link: https://www.morestaurants.org/products/st-louis-restaurant-tornado-relief-fund-.
“Our industry thrives on community — and now is the time to give back to the people and neighborhoods who’ve supported us. We are committed to standing with St. Louis and helping our city recover with compassion and urgency,” said Bill Gomel, Executive Director of the Greater St. Louis Restaurant Association.
