ST. LOUIS – Memorial Day gatherings in St. Louis this year transformed into community support events, providing hot meals and clothing to those in need.

For the past week, these gatherings have been held daily, offering not just sustenance but also medical help, recovery resources and a crucial sense of human connection.

“To support the people that need the help, that’s the main concern. We just want to make sure we can do every little bit that we can do,” said Maurice King, owner of King of Soul Café.

Parking lots and parks were filled with tents and grilling setups just like any other holiday weekend. The sounds of music and laughter floated through Fountain Park and the Natural Bridge area.

But this year the reason for coming together is different.

“We’re discovering people every day who’ve been impacted. This definitely won’t be a sprint; this is a marathon,” King said.

What started as disaster relief has evolved into a vital community support system. In addition to meals and clothing, attendees have access to medical assistance and recovery resources.

The gatherings are a place for people to exchange hugs and maintain high spirits despite the challenges they face.

“People are coming together for the greater good of the community. Sometimes we tend to wait on FEMA or the government to help us. But sometimes, we need to take those responsibilities into our own hands,” said Rickey Whittington of the R. Whittington Foundation.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.