Anheuser-Busch Donates $500K to MRA to support St. Louis Bars & Restaurants for Tornado Relief
Anheuser-Busch Donates $500K to Missouri Restaurant Association to
Support St. Louis Bars & Restaurants Recovering from Severe Storms and Tornadoes
Donation to Help Launch the Missouri Restaurant Association’s New Tornado Relief Fund
ST. LOUIS, MO (May 29, 2025) — Anheuser-Busch has joined forces with the Missouri Restaurant Association (MRA) and other local organizations to launch the St. Louis Restaurant Tornado Relief Fund—an initiative created to aid small businesses in the culinary and hospitality industries as they recover and rebuild following the devastating tornadoes that impacted the St. Louis area earlier this month.
This fund is designed to provide critical support for local restaurants, bars, and food service establishment employees affected by the storms. Eligible businesses will be able to apply for financial assistance to cover staff wages, refurbishment of damaged properties, and other essential needs to help them reopen and thrive once again.
For Anheuser-Busch, which has proudly called St. Louis home for more than 165 years, this effort reflects a deep commitment to the local community and to the places where people gather to celebrate, build connection, and make lasting memories—often over a beer.
“Anheuser-Busch’s history is deeply intertwined with our hometown bars and restaurants, where our people, family, friends and members of our community meet to enjoy a beer,” said Cesar Vargas, Chief External Affairs Officer, Anheuser-Busch. “These establishments are the lifeblood of St. Louis, where great beer and our amazing brands are served, and we’re proud to support recovery efforts in our hometown in partnership with the Missouri Restaurant Association and the broader community.”
The Missouri Restaurant Association, whose mission is to advocate for, educate, and support the restaurant community, will manage the relief fund and oversee the distribution of resources to qualifying small businesses. Applications for funding will open June 2, 2025.
“We are inspired by the strength of our restaurant community and grateful for the support of partners like Anheuser-Busch who are stepping up during this difficult time,” said Buddy Lahl, CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association. “Restaurants are places of gathering, healing, and connection—and they need our help now more than ever. This fund will ensure that our local businesses have the resources they need to recover, and we welcome anyone who would like to join us on this mission.” said Billy Gomel, Executive Director of the Greater St. Louis Restaurant Association.
In addition to supporting relief and recovery efforts through today’s donation, Anheuser-Busch has been working closely with the American Red Cross, the City of St. Louis, its local wholesaler partners – Lohr Distributing Co Inc and Grey Eagle Distributors – and community organizations to deliver emergency drinking water to impacted residents and first responders in need. To date, the company has donated more than 100,000 cans of clean, safe drinking water to aid the recent St. Louis recovery efforts. Each year, Anheuser-Busch periodically pauses beer production to produce emergency drinking water for communities impacted by or preparing for disasters, with more than 100 million cans produced since 1988.
Individuals and organizations wishing to contribute to the relief efforts can make a donation through the official fund page here: https://www.morestaurants.org/products/st-louis-restaurant-tornado-relief-fund-
For press inquiries or additional information on how donate, please contact Trey Meyers at (913-302-7079) or treym@morestaurants.org
About the Missouri Restaurant Association
The Missouri Restaurant Association is dedicated to serving the needs of the food service and hospitality industry, enhancing and improving its growth and development, assisting and educating its members in operating more effectively, improving the political, economic, and social environment in which the industry conducts business, for the benefit of its members, patrons, employees, and the well-being of the community.
About Anheuser-Busch
At Anheuser-Busch, our purpose is to create a future with more cheers. For more than 165 years, we have delivered a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. As a leading American manufacturer, we drive economic prosperity nationwide through investments in our people, facilities, and communities.
We are home to the nation’s most iconic beer and beyond beer brands, including Michelob ULTRA, Busch Light, Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois, and Cutwater, as well as industry-leading regional craft brands. From our longstanding efforts to support American farmers, military, veterans, and first responders, to emergency drinking water donations and responsible drinking programs, we are guided by our commitment to the communities we call home and the 65,000 hardworking Americans who bring our beer to life. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram.