Powers Insurance & Risk Management, a family-owned agency in Missouri, will rebuild a tornado-damaged home as the centerpiece of its 35 Acts of Kindness campaign, a year-long initiative marking the St. Louis firm's 35th anniversary.
Powers Insurance said the 35 Acts of Kindness effort would launch on April 1, with 35 service projects planned throughout 2026 ranging from charitable giving to volunteer work and local partnerships.
Its flagship project carries particular resonance. The home was damaged when an EF3 tornado tracked nearly 23 miles through the western St. Louis metropolitan area on May 16 last year, killing five and injuring 38.
The National Weather Service recorded peak winds of 152 mph. More than 5,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed.
FEMA officials at the time called the residential devastation the worst the agency had surveyed since the 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri. Guy Carpenter's post-event report characterized the broader May 15–18 outbreak as likely the costliest severe weather event of 2025, with regional damages estimated at $1.6 billion.
"For 35 years, the region has trusted us to protect their families and businesses," said JD Powers, the agency's chief executive. "We wanted to celebrate this milestone by getting out into the neighborhoods we serve."
The tornado exposed deep fractures in the region's insurance coverage.
Many homes in North St. Louis were older, lower-valued and mortgage-free, meaning no lender required owners to carry a policy. US Census data shows roughly one in eight American homeowners are uninsured, with properties valued under $150,000 far more likely to lack coverage.
Those who did hold policies faced complications. A city ordinance requiring insurers to withhold 25% of claim payouts in escrow slowed early disbursements, though St. Louis waived the rule via executive order in June last year.
Missouri lawmakers later established the Homestead Disaster Tax Credit, authorizing up to $5,000 per household for deductibles incurred during 2025 disasters. The credit remains in legal limbo amid a constitutional challenge.
Powers said the effects of a tornado extend well beyond individual households.
"Insurance is about helping people put their lives back together after the unexpected," he said. "By helping restore a home, we're putting our POWERS promise into action."
The remaining 35 Acts of Kindness projects are expected to be announced throughout the year. Powers Insurance is licensed in all 50 states and writes across personal lines, commercial, workers' compensation, employee benefits, surety bonding and executive liability.
