100 Neediest Cases campaign kicks off, helping 4,900 families in St. Louis area

ST. LOUIS — The last few months have been hard for Ms. N and her family. The May 16 tornado severely damaged their Penrose neighborhood home. They’ve been staying with her daughter, putting 10 people under one roof.

Ms. N’s 7-year-old daughter sometimes gets scared when it rains. Her mom, with dementia, has wandered away from the house, unfamiliar with their new living arrangements. The family hopes that one day they will be able to return to north St. Louis, where many friends and family still live. They know it won’t be easy.

Ms. N and her family are among the thousands of St. Louis-area residents who are part of the 100 Neediest Cases campaign this year, an annual effort between the United Way of Greater St. Louis, dozens of social services agencies, school districts, nonprofits and dedicated volunteers to raise money to help local families facing severe adversity.

This year, 100 Neediest Cases will benefit 4,921 families, or 11,922 individuals, and roughly half of the recipients are children. Almost 400 of the cases mention the tornado as a reason for needing help this holiday season.

The Post-Dispatch, which has partnered with the United Way for over five decades, will highlight the stories of 100 families over the next month. The cases will be accompanied by artwork from an annual student art contest. Profiled participants are identified by only by their initials, to protect their privacy.

Becky White, United Way of Greater St. Louis’ direct services program manager, said many of the campaign’s families this year are asking for help with housing due to the lack of affordable housing in the region or from being unexpectedly forced to move after the tornado.

And, White said, requests for basic needs such as household cleaning products, paper goods and groceries, remain strong.

“The cost of living is going up and those basics are expensive, plain and simple,” White said. “That $25 donation can provide relief for a mom trying to take care of her kids and for whom that grocery bill is a stressor.”

‘I have my days’

Ms. N is a self-proclaimed family person. She cooks, cleans, runs errands and tends to everyone, everyday. She, her mom, her four younger kids and her nephew are living with her eldest daughter, who is 22.

Prior to the tornado, Ms. N ran her own catering business, but the space she rented lost its roof in the storm, so she’s been facing rising grocery and utility bills without an income. Sometimes, it all feels like too much.

“I have my problems. I have my days, I’m doing the best I can with the amount that I have and I’m just making way with what I have,” Ms. N said. “It’s not enough, but I’m doing the best that I can with it until I can get back up on my feet.”

Families in the 100 Neediest Cases program live at or below 125% of the federal poverty income level. For a family of four, that’s an annual income of $40,188 — though many struggle to get by on far less.

United Way’s White said clients selected as 100 Neediest Cases recipients provide documentation — such as utility disconnection notices, late rent or eviction notices, medical bills, police reports, fire reports — to show they have unmet needs.

One hundred percent of the money raised goes to the recipients. In 2024, 100 Neediest Cases raised $1.7 million, providing things like winter coats, groceries, household supplies and holiday presents for 4,927 families, White said.

“One of the best parts of my job is that I have a front row seat to the St. Louis community responding to the needs they see,” White said. “People helped our families pay rent, people bought winter coats, people gave financially so people didn’t have to decide between getting their prescriptions or having dinner.”

Ms. N hopes they can someday move back to north St. Louis. She said her mom grew up there, so she knows when her mother goes on walks, she will always be able to find her way back home.

And, Ms. N wants to open her own restaurant in north St. Louis one day. But first, she needs to get through this holiday season.

“We are rebuilding gracefully,” Ms. N said. “It’s just going to take time to get us back to where we were or further than what we were.

“Not back, she said. “Further than what we were.”

Donations can be made to the 100 Neediest Cases General Fund by sending a check to 100 Neediest Cases, P.O. Box 955925, St. Louis, MO 63195 or by adopting a family or individual online.