Day two of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ “Weekend of Service” marked the one-year anniversary of the tornado that touched down on their headquarters and the surrounding area. Just as it has been throughout the past year, that place of devastation served as a beacon of hope.
Their food and essentials drive-thru distribution was set to begin at noon on May 16, 2026 — one year to the day that the tornado left historically Black neighborhoods and other portions of the region in shambles.
By 9 a.m., the line stretched from Page to Taylor.
“Baby, they been out here since before 7 o’clock,” a worker said as she rode down the street on a golf cart. She was responsible for collecting the forms another woman handed out at the start of the line and helping anyone who needed assistance completing them. She didn’t have time to say much more. “I love you, but I have to get these forms done so that they can get what they need.”
Three hours later, when the distribution was set to begin, the line of cars was near Sarah — just a few blocks shy of Grand in Midtown.
It started without a hitch. The two rows of cars at the Urban League headquarters parking lot became three. An assembly line of workers and volunteers filled cars with more than $500,000 worth of items prepared for an estimated 5,000 recipients.
“Right now things are going real smooth, and we need to keep it this way,” said James Clark, the Urban League’s vice president of the Division of Public Safety and Community Response. “The way we do that is to keep it simple. We don’t need everybody giving directions from every direction. Let’s make sure we stay on one accord and keep things running exactly like this.”
As cars rolled through, volunteers loaded them with items from every food group. Recipients were also given snacks, soft drinks and toiletries.
Two months ago, Latrelle Yancey was courtside in Miami capturing Bam Adebayo’s history-making 83 points. On the one-year anniversary of the tornado, he was curbside at the Urban League headquarters taking photos of the organization’s historic giveaway to those impacted by the storm and those in need.
“Whatever I can do to help out,” Yancey said.
BJ The DJ and DJ Stew were broadcasting live for 100.3 The Beat. They curated music that felt like a family reunion soundtrack.
The Urban League is grateful for the opportunity to pay blessings forward.
“In the immediate aftermath of the tornado — literally right here on this street — we had to have a line set up because there were so many people traveling here to donate goods and items every single day from all over St. Louis,” said Michael McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. “We had all walks of life, all different ideologies and all types of ethnic backgrounds. To see that come together shows me that we know what to do when we have to do something to help our neighbors. And we need to replicate that as we continue to move forward.”
Recipients expressed their appreciation as they drove off with their cars packed.
“God is gonna bless the Urban League for this, you watch,” one recipient said.
The last item they received before pulling off was a brown teddy bear with a red ribbon around its neck.
Drivers were asked to keep moving so the line wouldn’t stall. But Carmen Ward couldn’t. When she received her teddy bear, she broke down crying.
“The Urban League has been so good to us,” Ward said. “If it wasn’t for the Urban League, ain’t no telling where we would be.”
It has been a tough year for her. She was supposed to be retired and enjoying life in the home she inherited from her parents.
“I was gonna get a new car and retire,” Ward said. “I planned to sit on the porch. That’s it. I didn’t wanna do nothing. I worked so hard for all these years and I was ready to kick my feet up.”
The porch she planned to sit on no longer exists. The home she inherited is in shambles. She hasn’t been inside since the tornado hit.
“I came home to a red sticker on my door,” Ward said. “That means it is not safe to go in and it is marked for demolition.”
She was able to partially retire but is now forced to live separately from her children — who all shared the home with her.
“My kids are living in North County, but I stay over behind this church across the street,” Ward said. “It has been rough. We live apart, but we are still together.”
She became emotional again talking about how hard her parents worked to provide a generational legacy through their home.
“You know how you try to make sure you encourage your kids,” Ward said. “You don’t really want them to feel what you are going through. I keep telling them to just look up, everything is going to be okay. The future is going to be better.”
Some days, Ward said, it is hard to believe the encouragement she has given her children over the past year.
“We are still experiencing it. We are still going through it,” Ward said. “Every time you ride through the neighborhood and you see buildings torn down to the ground — and you see your house and you see the signs telling you it will be demolished.”
But then there are days like Saturday, when she marked the one-year milestone with a moment of hope courtesy of the Urban League.
“I’m just so appreciative,” Ward said. “I’m not the only one. This whole city is grateful for the Urban League and everything they have done for us.”