With Indiana preparing to issue only partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for November due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton announced Monday a sweeping local relief effort to protect families from going hungry. The city’s “Gary SNAPS Into Action” plan is a $275,000 emergency response package combining city funds, corporate […]
food insecurity
Posted inCommunity
Where to Get Free Food in Gary and Northwest Indiana as SNAP Benefits Face Cuts
In Gary and Northwest Indiana, the struggle to put healthy food on the table often comes down to cost and access. A weekly mobile market is trying to change that, bringing fresh produce and protein to neighborhoods where nutritious options are often out of reach. As federal programs like SNAP and WIC face uncertainty, local […]
Posted inHousing, Politics & Policy
Calumet Township Unveils Assistance Partnerships as SNAP and WIC Cuts Loom
On Thursday, Calumet Township Trustee Tai Adkins brought together community leaders for a fall symposium designed to announce expanded eligibility and rental assistance standards, a new charity tracker system, and a partnership with WorkOne, the region’s workforce development agency, and Indiana Career Connect, the state’s job-matching platform. Panels focused on housing, food access, and workforce […]
Posted inCommunity
‘This Is About More Than Just Food’: Inside a Grassroots Effort Feeding Hundreds in Gary
On a windy Sunday morning this month in downtown Gary, families lined up outside the Family Life Community Center. They weren’t there for church, but for nourishment. “Number 1!” “Numbers 25-30!” a volunteer shouted into a bullhorn, his voice cutting through the jazz music that filled the air. The parking lot next to the Family […]
Posted inCommunity
Planting Hope: Gary’s Urban Gardens Foster Community and Healing
STANDING OVER AN open acre of lush greenery, Lord Cashus D gestures toward a garden full of fruit trees, flora, and an array of herbal and medicinal plants. “This is a sanctuary of the living,” said the Gary resident, who started the green space six years ago. “That’s why we created this.” Mystical Farms, a […]
Posted inCommunity
New Flash-Frozen Facility in Gary Promises Fresh Produce
Faith Farm and Orchard marked a milestone in its urban farming journey by unveiling a new flash-frozen kitchen facility in Gary’s Emerson neighborhood. The ceremony on Thursday began with a group prayer in the freezer and kettle-filled kitchen. A lineup of city and county officials, health professionals, and food justice advocates then talked about the […]
