July welcomes new changes and food insecurity problems, as benefits for those receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program changed this month. Starting July 1, Indiana will tighten SNAP eligibility through new verification requirements, including limiting how much money and assets a family can have to qualify for the program. In addition, the state is ending […]
Rayonna Burton-Jernigan
Rayonna Burton-Jernigan is the Business and Economic Development reporter for Capital B Gary.
Posted inCommunity, Events
For Her Birthday, Gary Teen Is Giving Other Teens a Place to Belong
Most teenagers ask for gifts on their birthday. Mariah Smith is giving one instead. For her 15th birthday, the Gary teen is hosting a carnival and movie night for local youth in hopes of creating something she says many teens in the city are missing: a place to gather, have fun, and build community. “I […]
Posted inEconomy, Environmental Justice
Gary Residents Want a Say in the Future of Steel
Environmental advocates from Northwest Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Japan gathered online this week ahead of Nippon Steel’s annual shareholders’ meeting to urge the company to invest in newer, cleaner steelmaking technology in communities they fear are being left behind. “The people of the Mon Valley [in western Pennsylvania] and Gary have given steel their labor, their […]
Posted inCommunity, Events
Where to Celebrate Juneteenth in Gary and Northwest Indiana
As Juneteenth approaches, people across Northwest Indiana are hosting festivals, performances, cultural events, and family activities to celebrate the holiday this year. “I’m always excited about Juneteenth and an opportunity to celebrate Gary,” said J’s Breakfast Club owner Joslyn Kelly. “I’m excited about the opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Black people, and all that […]
Posted inBusiness, Education
A Free IUN Program Helps Entrepreneurs Turn Their Dreams Into Reality
When Natè Billingsley got the idea for a dumping business, she wanted to do two things: help clean up her hometown and find work for formerly incarcerated individuals. “What I was finding is when they come home, they can’t find steady employment, and if they do have steady employment, the salary isn’t ‘cutting the mustard’ […]
Posted inCommunity
Where Families Can Get Free Food in June in Northwest Indiana
As summer begins, June brings another month of Northwest Indiana organizations working to provide relief from rising food costs and food insecurity. In Indiana, almost 10% of families and individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits have had their benefits cut since last year. In Gary, nearly 40% of residents rely on SNAP benefits, while […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Environmental Justice, Politics & Policy
Residents Demand Cleaner Future for Steel in Northwest Indiana
More than 100 residents gathered Thursday evening at the Gary Public Library to discuss the future of one of Northwest Indiana’s most important industries: steel. The town hall, titled “Our Mill, Our Future,” brought together residents, advocates, and elected officials concerned about the future of U.S. Steel’s Gary Works and whether the region will receive […]
Posted inBusiness
How One Gary Restaurant Preserved a Century of Chili, Community, and Tradition
The gospel music hums overhead while the fryer crackles behind the counter. Customers drift in and out of the narrow diner on Broadway, a place that seems stuck in time. At one end of the grill, Elisha Evans flips hamburgers with one hand while dropping fries into hot oil with the other. A few stools […]
Posted inCommunity, Education
Gary Youth Center Struggles to Stay Open After State and Federal Cuts
City Life Center of Northwest Indiana’s hallways are usually filled with children waiting for tutoring sessions, basketball games, hot meals, and rides home after school. But in recent months, leaders at the Gary nonprofit have been grappling with shrinking state and federal funding and the growing financial pressures that come with it. Earlier this month, […]
Posted inCommunity
Where Families Can Get Free Food in May in Northwest Indiana
As summer rapidly approaches, organizations across Northwest Indiana are scheduling free food distributions throughout May to offer families some relief from rising food prices. In Northwest Indiana, roughly 1 in 7 residents and 1 in 5 children are considered food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to enough nutritious food. In Gary, almost 40% of […]
