The Missouri National Guard will start its groundwork in St. Louis on Thursday.
Mayor Cara Spencer provided the update during a press conference Wednesday.
Up to 41 Guard members will arrive to help clear large debris. Spencer said the Guard is expected to be in St. Louis for two weeks.
“We’ll be reevaluating through that process, and that may evolve as the need really becomes clear as we start to do this work,” Spencer said.
A Guard member has been working with the city since the tornado and helped submit the mission request to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, Spencer said.
The State Emergency Management Agency and City Emergency Management Agency will take over once the National Guard leaves.
Spencer made the announcement during a visit to Peter and Paul Community Services’ North Florissant Avenue location. The nonprofit provides housing and opened its North Florissant Avenue campus last year. The organization is in the process of updating its facilities and sped that renovation up after this month’s tornado.
The organization has housed more than 100 people displaced by the tornado and has turned some of the floors already under construction into temporary shelters.
The organization is hoping to raise at least $200,000 over the next couple of days, Peter and Paul Community Services CEO Anthony D’Agostino said.
“We're hoping that that keeps us going for at least a few months and keeps us being able to respond to this huge need,” he said.
