Local organizers are mobilizing to help bridge the gap and keep marginalized neighborhoods safe, fed, and powered up. Here’s how lend our support to the midwest city.
By Bridgette Bartlett Royall
Essence
https://www.essence.com/
Gary, Indiana is located approximately 25 miles southeast of Chicago. As of 2025, the city was close to 80% Black according to census.gov. Gary, Indiana remains one of the most predominantly Black and historically significant majority-Black cities in the state of Indiana and perhaps the entire country. It is also the birthplace of international pop star, Michael Jackson and is even referred to many as Magic City due to Gary’s rapid industrial boom in the early 20th century. This “magic” is closely connected to The Great Migration, when thousands of Black southerners fled the South to work at U.S. Steel which founded the industrial city in 1906. These brave migrants were strivers and sought steady factory jobs and relief from Jim Crow segregation, turning Gary into a booming, diverse industrial hub.
Yet what is currently happening in Gary is far from booming or magical.
Thousands of Gary residents have been without power after a severe storm ripped across the region on Tuesday, August 11, followed by additional storms in the following days. That’s right, nearly two weeks of potentially not being able to charge your phone or computer, use a refrigerator to keep your baby’s milk cold and prevent meat and produce (groceries are already overpriced) from spoiling or turn on the lights in your home. It is not lost on us that Indiana is home to reportedly 70 to 80 operational data centers, with over 120 additional large facilities either announced, planned, or under construction. Indiana has also been proclaimed as one of the best states for AI data centers according to CNBC. [Insert hard eye roll here.]
The violent storm with high winds of 70 mph to more than 100 mph swept across Gary knocking down many trees and damaging homes and power lines.The initial storm caused about 301,000 outages in the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSC) service area, affecting more than 60% of its customers, the company reported according to ABC News. Roughly 9,000 customers in Gary, Indiana, remained without electricity as of August 23, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said in an emotional video posted to the city’s Facebook account.
“We’re at Day 12 and 12 days is too long for families to be without power,” Melton said. “Twelve days is too long for parents to worry about their children and for businesses to lose revenue and for families to wonder when the relief is finally going to come. I want you to know I share that frustration.”
Former NBA player and Gary native Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson, 53, announced he was donating $100,000 to help distribute “critical items” directly to residents, including health and hygiene products, food and water. Most of us cannot donate $100K but still want to lend a hand. In an effort to help our sisters and brothers in Gary, we’ve rounded up a list of resources created to aid those impacted by the devastating storm. Be encouraged to share this list. Community is our most valuable asset.
Essential supplies + food distribution – Multiple local churches and community groups are rotating daily free hot meal and grocery sites. Check the City of Gary Storm Recovery page for daily schedule updates.
Black Lives Matter (Gary) – This well-established organization is mobilizing locals in Gary to ensure those who need help the most are not ignored. Visit their Instagram page for details.
World Vision – This international initiative support relief efforts across the globe and helped to feed many on the ground in Gary last Saturday, along with local Divine 9 organizations and area churches like First Baptist Church.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun voiced similar concerns to those of Mayor Melton in an August 23 X post.
The Indiana National Guard and teams from other state agencies have been mobilized “to literally clear the way for NIPSCO utility crews,” Braun posted after declaring a statewide emergency on August 13. “There is no excuse for these delays.“
Mr. Governor, we agree.
