The power is back on in Gary, Indiana, after a powerful storm slammed the region earlier this month. Now, residents are trying to figure out how to get federal assistance to recover from the damage.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Indiana, making federal funds available to assist eligible individuals and communities affected by the storms.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Gov. [Mike] Braun, Sen. [Jim] Banks, and Congressman [Frank] Mrvan for their exemplary leadership in handling this matter,” Melton said.
The declaration comes as Gary continues recovering from the Aug. 11 storm, which knocked out power for about 370,000 Northern Indiana Public Service Company customers across the region. Gary was among the hardest-hit communities, with some residents left without electricity for nearly two weeks.
NIPSCO, confirmed Aug. 26 that power has been restored throughout Gary.
But, for many residents, getting the lights back on is only the beginning.
The federal disaster declaration could provide financial assistance to eligible residents affected by the storms, including help with certain disaster-related expenses and damage.
According to FEMA, residents must live in northwest Indiana to apply for assistance.
Gary Supports Its People
Residents can apply for assistance through FEMA and the city during “Greater Gary Community Days,” a free event Melton announced to help residents navigate the disaster-assistance process.
The event is happening Saturday from noon to 7 p.m.
Other assistance is coming from Lowe’s and Darius Garland and the Darius Garland Foundation. The organizations are supporting a supply giveaway on Saturday night. Each family will receive a free Bucket Brigade supply bucket of cleaning supplies.
There are also FEMA intake centers to help Lake County residents who lost their homes during the storm.
‘Really Hard to Function’
Ajahalla, 27, who lives in Gary but asked to be identified only by her first name, told Atlanta Black Star that her power came back on Tuesday night, Aug. 25.
She said the prolonged outage made it difficult for her and her children to maintain their everyday lives, particularly while her children were out of school.
“It was really hard to function. I know for my children and me because they were out of school,” she said.
Ajahalla said finding temporary housing was also difficult because hotels in the area were filled with utility workers who had traveled from other states to help restore power.
“I went to try to get a hotel, and they were fully booked because they had linemen from Florida, Mississippi; they literally all said they came out here [Sunday],” she said.
Ajahalla said she first noticed power-line crews in her area Sunday, around the same time food critic and influencer Keith Lee announced plans to host a giveaway event in Gary.
“I think I saw the first truck that Sunday, and there was like a rapid pickup,” she said.
NIPSCO says restoration efforts are now substantially complete. But Gary is still dealing with the storm’s aftermath, including cleanup and damage to homes and businesses.
Remaining Questions
The lengthy outages have also raised questions about the city’s infrastructure and NIPSCO’s response.
“This started long before the storm,” Ajahalla said. “Gary has a long history of being neglected as far as infrastructure and NIPSCO as well, not doing their part. I think NIPSCO needs to take accountability for this and let us know where the money has been.”
For Ajahalla, the recovery is still ongoing.
She said she is in the process of applying for storm relief assistance through FEMA and the city.
Even though power has been restored, residents like Ajahalla are now turning their attention to what comes next — getting their homes, finances and lives back on track after nearly two weeks without electricity.
