ST. LOUIS — The severe weather that devastated the St. Louis area earlier this month was the first time Florissant resident Lydia Jackson experienced a tornado in her community, which heavily damaged her family’s home.

Jackson and her husband met with organizations for resources and next steps Monday at the James J. Eagan Center in Florissant.

“You really don’t realize the resources that you truly need until you either lose them or you’re without it,” she said.

She mentioned her family was frightened during the storm as her ring doorbell camera captured the EF-2 tornado coming toward their home.

“It was pretty scary for the kids and I have a dog who was agitated by it,” Jackson said.

The State Emergency Management Agency has coordinated with volunteer partners and other state and local agencies for additional multi-agency resource centers (MARCs) in St. Louis and Jefferson counties taking place Monday and Tuesday.

Storm victims in St. Louis and Jefferson counties were able to go to either the James J. Eagan Center in Florissant and the Arnold Recreation Center in Arnold to receive support services and recovery resources.

Some include cleaning supplies, insurance information, food stamp replacement, emergency financial assistance, legal services and more.

“This is a really good set up for anyone who has been impacted by the storm,” Jackson said.

The purpose of a MARC is to gather as many services providers as possible into one place as a “one-stop-shop” for victims, according to Jody Dickhaut, state voluntary agency liaison, emergency human services branch, for the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

“The person who’s been impacted by the disaster doesn’t have to go to this office and that office … They can come and visit all these entities in one location,” he said.

Storm victims should bring proof of residency such a bill or a piece of mail and any photos of property damage, Dickhaut said.

Monday’s MARC was the 11th held throughout the state where officials have been on traveling to different cities since last week.

“The service providers have been amazing to make sure they’re getting the services out,” Dickhaut said. “We want to make sure we get the right amount of information that can help the folks navigate the process going forward.”

Across Missouri, Dickhaut said roughly 900 homes were either destroyed or sustained major damage. More than 3,000 homes in total were either majorly damaged, destroyed or had minor damage.

“The biggest thing that we’re working to do with (the MARCs) is help people realize that there’s help out there and there’s assistance.”

He mentioned the road to recovery is not quick, adding it can take communities months and even years.

SEMA also is coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Dickhaut said once a federal declaration is approved, FEMA will come to provide a similar process in providing resource centers for those impacted.

Hours at the James J. Eagan Center are from noon to 7 p.m. and 1-7 p.m. at the Arnold Recreation Center.

The James J. Eagan Center will offer services and resources during the same hours on Tuesday.

After the storm was over, Jackson said she and her neighbors went to check on each other, in addition to the police arriving immediately after.

“This was one of those events that probably, hopefully, will never happen again to us. We were able to come together and be supportive,” she said.

While her neighborhood was hit hard, she mentioned no one was hurt.

“We’re grateful for that,” Jackson said.

The fire department came quickly to shut off gas that was leaking, which Jackson noticed. She commended the first responders for their fast response to the community.

She and her neighbors were without power for days, but when it finally came back on, Jackson said everyone celebrated “like we were at a Cardinals game with a home run hit.”

For anyone who cannot attend the MARCs can call the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767 or the United Way at 2-1-1 for services and resources.