Copyright fox2now
ST. LOUIS - A North St. Louis neighborhood came together Monday night for a "Trunk or Treat" event at King's Customs Auto, offering fun and healing for families still recovering from the May tornado. The event was organized by Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard of the 10th Ward and King's Customs Auto, which was damaged by the tornado but has since rebuilt and reopened. The gathering aimed to bring families together in one of the hardest-hit areas, turning tragedy into community spirit just in time for Halloween. "This is a testimony of some of the great things that is happening," said Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard. "Jay is reopened. He has his new sign hung. He’s had a lot of things done on the inside where it was literally raining inside his building…You can look over and see new roofs on buildings — those are good things." King's Customs Auto, once damaged by the tornado, has since rebuilt and reopened, and the event marked a way for the business to give back to the neighborhood that supported them. Operations Manager Jay Johnson has been actively involved in helping the community, using his trucks and employees to plow snow and ice during the winter free of charge. "This is our community as well. When the community needs assistance, if we’re able, we’re going to assist and it’s just playing our part. You know, we’re here, and we want to help when we can," said Jay Johnson, Operations Manager of King's Customs Auto. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police and Fire Departments joined the event, along with city officials helping residents apply for the new private property demolition and debris removal program. Kids came in costume to collect candy, while organizations like Rides N School Supplies, 314 Oasis, and Metro Bi-State Development offered resources, food, and job opportunities. Residents whose homes still show tornado damage were able to sign up for debris removal, giving the city permission to safely access their properties. This initiative is part of the city's efforts to help displaced residents find relief and stability, especially with winter approaching. The Board of Aldermen will hold a budget meeting this Wednesday to discuss how funds from the $33 million set aside for tornado recovery are being used. City leaders aim to ensure that the recovery funds are effectively supporting the community's needs. 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.
