Social media influencer Keith Lee is heading to Gary, Indiana, as residents face another weekend without power and local food resources struggle to keep up with demand.
Lee said he had been planning a food tour through the Midwest ahead of his festival in Chicago but couldn’t do it and ignore what was happening in Gary.
“How we gon’ do a food tour in the Midwest and Gary ain’t had no power, and ain’t nobody talking about it?” Lee said.
Lee says he wants to put his words into action. “We’ve been on the phone with the mayor’s office to see if there’s ways could get involved,” he said.
Lee says he also contacted the Salvation Army to see how he can assist and asked his followers for ideas on how to support Gary residents.
Lee plans to bring food to people in the city while also highlighting some of Gary’s restaurants.
“I think this should be national news and it’s crazy to me that it’s not being talked about,” Lee said.
@keith_lee125 Keith Speaks 💕 Gary Indiana We’ll be there soon 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
Another Day Without Power
Lee’s decision comes as thousands of Gary residents continue to deal with the aftermath of a catastrophic storm that left communities across northwest Indiana without electricity for days.
Many residents have been without power since Aug. 11. The powerful derecho brought winds approaching 100 mph, toppled trees and caused widespread damage to roads and electrical infrastructure.
Northern Indiana Public Service Company, or NIPSCO, called it the largest outage event in the company’s history, with more than 300,000 customers losing power during the storm.
More than 1,200 additional mutual-aid crews and contractors were brought in to help with restoration efforts.
As of Aug. 20, NIPSCO reported that about 63,500 customers were still without power across Northwest Indiana.
NIPSCO has said it expects power to be restored in Gary by Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said Tuesday that city officials had assessed more than 2,000 damage sites and requests for assistance across the city. More than 80% involved fallen trees and blocked roads, he said.
The city said 75% of reported blocked roads had been reopened as of Tuesday as crews continued clearing debris and responding to damage.
A Continued Struggle
Cynthia Hunter told CBS News she was “exhausted” as she entered her 10th day without power.
“I feel that we have just learned to adapt to it. Like, I don’t know. We’re trying to maintain, but it’s not easy,” Hunter said.
She said her family has kept windows open to stay safe and has had to use their vehicles to charge phones and other electronics.
“We spent the night in the car, the truck, a couple of nights just for air. It’s hard, guys. It’s really, really hard,” Hunter said.
The Aetna neighborhood was among the hardest-hit areas in Gary, according to the outlet.
The prolonged power outage has also created problems for residents trying to get food.
At West Side Leadership Academy in Gary, a mobile food pantry was overwhelmed by demand, according to FOX 32. About 150 people were served before the pantry ran out of food.
“This is not our first time doing this. We have a partnership, and we have been doing this since May,” Gary Community School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Stokes said.
The school district also handed out about 700 grab-and-go lunches over two days last week — and ran out.
Several restaurants in Gary have reopened, while others hope to reopen by the end of the week.
Public schools in Gary will remain closed through the rest of the week.
Residents Say Gary Needs More Attention
Some Gary residents have also taken to social media to share updates and resources with their neighbors.
Instagram user @dribabee recently posted information about an oxygen refill station available in the community while criticizing what she described as a lack of media attention.
“This is not on the news,” she said. “We are on day 8. We have not got qa FEMA package, not a presidential package, not a damn thing.”
Gary is a predominantly Black city, with Black residents making up more than 75 percent of the population.
Lee referenced that demographic when criticizing what he described as a lack of attention to the community.
“Why not a think piece on the fact that communities that look like myself have been without power for eight days,” Lee said.
Now, Lee and his social media team are preparing to put that attention directly on Gary.
The influencer said his goal is not only to help feed residents but also to highlight local businesses as the city works to recover from the storm.
