Glimmers of Hope Emerge Amid Disaster Relief in Missouri
The Salvation Army continues to serve Missourians following 21 suspected tornadoes statewide, of which seven have been confirmed by the National Weather Service. The tornadoes range from EF1 to EF3, and to-date, 12 fatalities have been reported.
On March 16, 2025, our mobile feeding unit and Emergency Disaster Services volunteers in Phelps County delivered 140 sack lunches and over 200 bottles of water to storm survivors.
Rolla resident Alice Hulbert was happy to receive a meal, and was even more moved by the moment of prayer she shared with Salvation Army volunteers. “God was with me through the storm, and I know he will be with me as I go through the next steps of this," she said. "I know I will be alright.”
Phelps County
In Rolla, The Salvation Army is continuing to feed neighbors in need. First Baptist Church, which is also serving as a shelter, is preparing meals and The Salvation Army is distributing them in the community. As of Monday, March 17, our volunteer team in Rolla has received an additional vehicle and volunteers that will assist them in reaching the most people.
Emotional and spiritual care is a priority in Phelps County given the severity of the situation in that area.
The Salvation Army has distributed more than 495 drinks, meals and snacks in Rolla. In addition, we have more than 30 volunteers, staff professionals and emotional and spiritual care leaders on-site.
Jefferson, St. Louis and Franklin Counties
In Arnold, St. Louis, Bellefontaine Neighbors and Villa Ridge, volunteers continue to provide snacks, meals and drinks via our mobile feeding units. We are also providing ready-to-eat meals (MREs) and continuing to assess the needs in these communities.
The James II Project in Arnold is teaming up with The Salvation Army to provide hot lunches to those in need. Meals are served at The Salvation Army (3740 Telegraph Ave Arnold, MO 63010) on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. In addition, food boxes are assembled and distributed regularly. The next distribution will be on April 2 at 9 a.m.
In Arnold, more than 330 snacks, sandwiches and bottles of water have been distributed.
In St. Louis County, more than 110 snacks, meals and bottles of water have been distributed.
Volunteers Needed
The Salvation Army takes Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) volunteering seriously and provides in-depth training and opportunities for credentialing. From March 12-15, EDS volunteers were gathered at The Salvation Army’s Camp Mihaska in Bourbon, Missouri, for a training summit. Of the 106 attendees, more than 20 have been deployed to support these communities.
Given the ongoing needs in these areas, we are asking for additional volunteers to support relief efforts.
Volunteers who are already EDS-credentialed can be deployed immediately. For those not yet credentialed, we can quickly onboard volunteers so that they may have a meaningful contribution to these efforts. Volunteers are needed to assist with:
- Distributing food, water and other essential supplies
- Offering emotional and spiritual care
- Sorting and inventorying donated items
If you're available to serve in one of the affected areas, please complete the deployment form and a member of The Salvation Army team will be in touch.
The Salvation Army’s Midland Division will also participate in a multi-agency resource center in Perry County, Illinois, on Tuesday, March 18. There, more than a dozen homes have major damage or are a full loss, and continue to be assessed for immediate and long-term needs.
Donations can be made online at https://salarmy.us/middisaster or by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.