Tornado Relief — May 2025

REALTORS® Tornado Relief Efforts

When a tornado struck our community in May 2025, St. Louis REALTORS® stepped up to deliver immediate relief and long-term support for recovery. Together with our members, local partners, Missouri REALTORS®, and the National Association of REALTORS® we mobilized resources, volunteers, and funding to help families rebuild their lives. View our efforts in the dropdowns below or download our PDF Fact Sheet.

Direct Assistance for Families

• $342,951 in direct housing assistance was delivered to tornado victims.
• Thanks to NAR’s REALTOR® Relief Foundation, 385 applications were approved for a total of $322,784.
• Average assistance: $838 per household.
• Most common use: one month’s mortgage or rental reimbursement.
• This program is now complete.
• The Missouri REALTOR® Relief Fund provided $20,167 in matching funds for REALTOR® members impacted by the tornado.
• REALTOR® members may still apply for this program.
• St. Louis REALTORS® also staffed a grant-funded, part-time storm recovery liaison to provide one-on-one support to impacted residents navigating the application process.

Supporting Nonprofits on the Ground

Through the REALTOR® Housing Assistance Fund (RHAF)—the 501(c)(3) arm of St. Louis REALTORS®—we raised $72,000 for tornado relief. Grants were distributed to trusted local organizations— partners already connected with our organization—providing critical services, including:

• 4 The Ville
• Dream Builders 4 Equity
• House Everyone STL
• Invest STL
• Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
• Rebuilding Together
• St. Louis Home Repair Network

Community Recovery & Legal Resources

• Co-hosted legal rights workshops on insurance claims, tenants’ rights, and storm-related challenges with law schools, bar associations, and housing advocates.
• Distributed legal FAQ flyers and a Storm Recovery Checklist to impacted residents.
• Helped amplify the City of St. Louis’s recovery resources to ensure widespread community access.

Volunteer Mobilization & In-Kind Support

• Coordinated donation drives and supply distribution with the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc.
• Mobilized REALTOR® volunteers and promoted community volunteer sign-ups.
• Established our office as a drop-off location for needed supplies such as hygiene products, cleaning items, snacks, and bottled water.

Additional Outreach & Support

• Created a social media toolkit to help REALTORS® and partners promote relief resources.
• Engaged local landlords to provide emergency housing for displaced residents.

 

Our Commitment for the Long Term

Recovery doesn’t end when the headlines fade. St. Louis REALTORS® remain committed to supporting residents in repairing their homes, rebuilding their lives, and advocating for a smoother, more effective recovery process for our community.