Page Boulevard and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard run parallel in St. Louis — streets that never meet on a map.
But on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, they seemed to intersect in spirit, as residents and volunteers gathered near Page for a drive-thru food distribution hosted by the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis in partnership with the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
Cars entered the parking lot at Page and Kingshighway on Monday, many lining up for hours before the noon start time. By 1 p.m., the line still stretched several blocks, extending past Whittier.
As recipients drove up to the distribution point, they were greeted by Carl — dancing to the music of DJ Tossin’ Ted while directing cars forward.
Despite the freezing temperatures, the energy felt like a family reunion. Cookout classics from Earth, Wind & Fire, Chic and Kirk Franklin blasted through the speakers. Volunteers who hadn’t seen each other since the last event shared embraces and swapped holiday stories. Some were bundled so tightly in layers that it took a second look to recognize familiar faces.
Two lines of cars pulled up and popped their trunks. Hundreds of boxes and bags of potatoes, onions and peppers were stacked in a central pile. An assembly line of volunteers — clearly practiced in the rhythm of efficiency — kept the cars moving smoothly.
“You’re gonna need to open your back door, too,” one volunteer instructed. A man shifted items in the back seat of his Toyota Corolla to make room.
Two boxes went into his trunk: one filled with nonperishables — soups, beans, cereal, mac and cheese — and another with toiletries and other essentials. Fresh vegetables and a turkey were placed in the back seat, along with cases of beverages.
At the distribution point, volunteers smiled as they helped recipients make room for more than many expected.
Just beyond the drive-thru area, signs of the May 16 tornado were still impossible to ignore — including a twisted ball of metal that was once a building in Roberts Village, directly adjacent to the distribution site.
“I am out here for my uncle and my granny too,” said a recipient who asked to remain anonymous. She, her uncle and her grandmother were all affected by the May 16 tornado. “This will help more than people know,” she said. “It feels great to see people helping us out like this. This is what Dr. King was talking about.”
She pointed out the diversity among both volunteers and recipients — the Asian woman handing a box to the car across from her, the white man dancing alongside Carl as he made his way back to his station.
“It is a blessing. We are all out here together,” she said. “It makes you feel like you are not alone.”
The recipient was one of more than 3,000 people who received $300,000 worth of donated food and essential items, according to the Urban League.
“On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are answering Dr. King’s call to action by serving our neighbors and helping meet immediate needs,” said Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. “Service is a powerful way to honor his legacy and strengthen our community.”
As volunteers lifted boxes, filled trunks and rotated duties to warm up in a heated tent, a King quote came to mind — one that captured the unity and service unfolding in the heart of a community still recovering.
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish as fools,” King said at Christ Church Cathedral on March 22, 1964.
Nearly 65 years after King spoke those words, the Urban League and its partners demonstrated the enduring power of brotherhood, empathy and service.
“We are here reflecting Dr. King’s belief that service to humanity is a pathway to justice and dignity,” McMillan said.