ST. LOUIS –  The Red Cross has been working nonstop behind the scenes to support tornado victims staying at shelters across the city for families who lost everything.

This Memorial Day meant survival and starting over.

For Shawn White, the storm hit without warning—and within seconds, his life changed forever.

“I was at home and my whole roof came off the top of my house. I had to get out of it as fast as I could,” he said.

His home was declared unrepairable by insurance. 

White now sleeps in a Red Cross shelter—one of four sites serving more than 250 displaced people across the region.

But the shelter is not just a place to sleep—the Red Cross works with each family individually, helping them plan their next step.

“We also have shelter resident transition teams that work with each individual. That go from each family to each family unit and they work with them on a path forward,” said Kim Mailes of American Red Cross.

As more families seek shelter, the Red Cross is asking the community for help. If you need assistance—or want to open a shelter—call 1-800-RED-CROSS.