On June 10, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal assistance is available for Missouri residents affected by the severe storms on May 16, 2025. Less than half (46%) of St. Louisans have heard of the provision in the last 7 days.
Major disaster declaration in Missouri
Federal assistance is now available to individuals in Scott County, St. Louis County, and St. Louis City. The deadline to apply is August 26, 2025. The disaster assistance can help with basic home repairs, temporary housing, and low-interest loans for uninsured property losses. Funding is also available to state, tribal, and local governments, as well as eligible nonprofits, for emergency work and facility repairs on a cost-sharing basis.
Awareness of assistance drops in St. Louis
Although more recovery resources have become available to residents since the federal disaster declaration for the June tornado, fewer St. Louisans are hearing about them. Awareness was at 60% when iHeard began tracking on June 23, but it has dropped to 46% as of August 4. This decline comes despite ongoing local efforts to share updated, localized information. Awareness remains highest among adults 50 and older (75%), compared to those under 50 (28%). It is also higher among Black residents (67%) than among White residents (24%) and Hispanic residents (18%).
What assistance is available in St. Louis
Several new relief programs have been announced in St. Louis for tornado recovery. As of August 4, funding assistance is available for nonprofit organizations through the Tornado Relief and Recovery Fund. On August 1, the city began accepting property tax relief applications for tornado-damaged properties, and on July 31, broader disaster assistance and relief programs were made available for impacted residents. See more resources here.
How to get relief
Residents affected by the tornado should first file claims with their insurance provider. Then, they can apply for federal assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362, or through the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, be sure to provide FEMA with the specific number for that service. For local updates and resources, visit the City of St. Louis recovery page here.
Help St. Louis recover
Please share the resources below to help residents access tornado recovery assistance. To view a printable pdf of the resources below click here.
About this week’s report
This week’s alert is based on a survey of adult residents in St. Louis, MO (n = 186), conducted July 19–21, 2025. Explore these data and more at iHeardSTL.
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August 26, 2025 is the deadline to apply for FEMA assistance! If you or someone you know was affected by the May 16th tornado, visit STLRecovers.com to learn about new resources available.
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