Cars wrapped around the block outside the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis this week as volunteers handed out Thanksgiving meals. For many families, the drive-through line offered more than food — it offered reassurance. Hope. A reminder that someone still sees them.
President and CEO Michael P. McMillan stood amid the bustle, greeting volunteers who showed up in the hundreds on Tuesday.
“It always feels good to see so many people from the community come volunteer and help us,” he said, noting that the energy was as nourishing as the meals being boxed and loaded into waiting trunks.
The Urban League expects to serve more than 3,500 people this year, distributing more than $300,000 worth of food, toiletries and other resources across St. Louis and the Metro East. The annual Thanksgiving dinner drive is one of the organization’s largest efforts to support families still recovering from a turbulent year — one marked by the devastating May tornado and the temporary suspension of SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown.
Even as those programs resume and debris clears, many households continue to feel the strain. The Urban League has responded with persistence, including doorstep deliveries in neighborhoods hardest hit by the spring storm.
“We are striving to remind people that there is still good in the world,” McMillan said. “There are still people who want to give their time, talent and treasure to make a difference.”
Among the volunteers was Elder Madsen of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who spent the afternoon lifting heavy boxes into backseats.
“Doing this brings peace and joy to others,” he said. “Seeing the outpouring of support warms my heart. I hope it sparks a light in others.”
Alderwoman Laura Keys worked alongside volunteers, passing out turkeys and greeting families between car windows. For her, the meaning was simple: “It’s community coming together,” she said. “Feeding the people and doing the work.”
For some, the help couldn’t have come at a more critical moment. Dominick Bounds, who lost his job last week, said the Thanksgiving drive will keep his family afloat this holiday.
“God is good,” he said. “It’s a blessing to see so many people here to help us out.”
In another car sat 75-year-old Wya Ali, who survives on $1,500 a month in Social Security — a figure stretched thin by rising costs.
“This is wonderful,” she said. “To see the community doing what the Urban League is doing is over and above what any other community is doing. If it wasn’t for the Urban League, we wouldn’t be here.”
Volunteers made sure each vehicle pulled away with everything needed for a traditional Thanksgiving — turkey, side dishes, desserts and beverages. For families stressed by months of inflation, natural disaster recovery or simply the weight of daily life, the bags handed out this week carried far more than groceries.
They carried relief. And for many in line, they carried a reminder that they had not been forgotten.