Organize a Donation Drive for Tornado Relief

Thank you for your interest in helping St. Louis residents recover from the May 16, 2025 tornado. If you, your group of family, friends or co-workers want to hold a donation drive, you may request to have a truck, trailer or storage pod dropped off at your location to load with your donations. The donations will be picked up and taken to the central distribution warehouse and then given out to local tornado-impacted residents in need. 

Choose Donation Items to Accept

• Check the list of current items needed and choose what you would like to collect.
• Only accept clean, new items.
• Please do NOT collect clothing, perishable food, medicines, used items, broken items, or items that expire (like hand sanitizer).
• Do NOT accept items that are not on the list.
• Please do not accept cash donations, those can be sent to City of St. Louis Tornado Response Fund.

Prepare to Track Hours

You will need to maintain a log of the hours you and your volunteers work on the donation drive. Use this template to enter everyone's hours.

Every hour volunteered supports the recovery efforts and helps unlock FEMA Public Assistance funding for debris removal, emergency response, and restoring infrastructure. By documenting your efforts, you’re helping ensure that more resources can reach those in need.

Assemble Information

To sign up for donation dropoff, you will need the following information:

• Your organization name
• The name, email address and phone number of someone who can coordinate with the donation dropoff organizers
• Information about the donation pickup site
• The proposed date(s) of your drive and your operating hours
• Which types of items you will collect

Use the Begin Online button to submit the request form. 

Begin online

Arrange Truck, Trailer or Storage Pod Delivery

Once you have registered, within 2 days, the warehouse staff will contact you to schedule a drop-off of a truck, trailer or storage pod at your site.

• Confirm your site can safely accommodate the truck/pod.
• Schedule both delivery and return/pickup dates. We will return to pick up the donations after your event concludes or when the truck/pod is full.

Organize Volunteers

• Recruit and brief volunteers on basic safety and sorting procedures.
• Track volunteer hours daily using the template provided.

Sort and Label Donations

• Group items by category (e.g., hygiene kits, canned goods, baby supplies).
• Label boxes or containers clearly with the item type.
  • Example: "Personal Care Kits – 10 count", "Diapers – Size 4 – 3 packs"

Notify Warehouse for Pickup

• Ensure the truck/pod is closed, locked, and ready for transit.
• When the truck/pod is ready, notify the warehouse to schedule pickup.
• Ensure everything is secured, and that volunteers are available to assist if needed.

The donations will be taken to the central donation distribution warehouse and then given out to local tornado-impacted residents in need.

Submit Volunteer Hours

• Email a scanned copy of your volunteer hours spreadsheet to eocoperations@stlouis-mo.gov with “Collection Site Volunteers” as the subject line.