As schools reopen and many families continue to navigate rising food costs, churches, schools and nonprofit organizations across Northwest Indiana will host dozens of free food distributions throughout August. The distributions come as changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, continue to affect households across Indiana. State and federal eligibility requirements have tightened […]
Community
Posted inCommunity
Gary’s Pop-Up Roller Rink Revives a Black Tradition of Community Gathering
If you’ve driven down Broadway over the past few weeks, then you may have seen dozens gathered under the Jackson 5 mural overlooking Fifth Avenue. For several weeks this summer, the Gary Arts Council transformed the space beneath the mural into a community gathering place for an often-forgotten activity: roller skating. “Skating is something that […]
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Where to Find Free Food Across Northwest Indiana This July
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 […]
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 inCommunity, Economy
The Black Families Who Built Gary’s Middle Class
This story first appeared on For the Record: A Black Oral History Archive. The archive is a collection of over 100 firsthand stories of Black life in America. Ernest Mosley planned to stay three years. Fresh out of high school in 1975, he walked three blocks from his East Chicago home to Inland Steel looking for […]
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 […]
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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 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, […]
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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 […]
Posted inCommunity, Criminal Justice, Public Safety
Gary’s Homicide Rate Falls to Its Lowest Point in More Than 50 Years
For a city that once held the highest murder rate in the country in the early 1990s, reducing gun violence has been a central focus of city leaders for the past quarter of a century. Last year, Gary recorded 28 homicides, the city’s lowest total in 55 years. The drop was accompanied by a nearly […]
