Tornado activity in the United States has surged well above average in 2025, with more than 470 tornadoes reported through early April—nearly double the historical average for this time of year. The Southeast and Mississippi Valley have been particularly hard-hit, with Mississippi reporting 92 tornadoes by March 31—up from just seven at the same point in 2024.

A series of major outbreaks in March and April devastated large areas of Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, and Illinois, with multiple EF3 and EF4 tornadoes reported. These storms have damaged thousands of homes, displaced families, and placed immense pressure on local emergency response systems and food access networks.

In response, BBF provided grants to regional food banks playing key roles in disaster recovery. In Mississippi, BBF partnered with the Mississippi Food Network, helping replenish their disaster inventory of food boxes and bottled water. The funding supports MFN’s nine-region emergency network and its 430 partner agencies delivering aid to affected communities.

Earlier this year, BBF also provided a grant to Southeast Missouri Food Bank, which has been actively supporting communities in the Bootheel region hit hard by March tornadoes. The grant helped the food bank expand emergency distributions, restock essential items, and support families displaced or impacted by storm damage.

As severe weather continues to impact broad swaths of the country, BBF’s Disaster Response program will to continue supporting local partners with the resources they need to respond quickly and sustain recovery efforts over the long term.