RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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As Lisa Bryant and her mom, Jackie, pulled up to The Gospel Truth Apostolic Ministry, they thanked the pastor and volunteers loading their trunk with fresh groceries that would feed them for the next few days: bread, cheese, deli meats and canned goods.
The Bryants are among the thousands of residents in Gary who remain without power after severe storms tore through northwest Indiana last week, causing a historic outage that left much of the region in the dark.
“This will at least nourish us for a couple of days,” Bryant said as a box of food was loaded into her car.
Like many others, Bryant is unclear when power will be restored.
“It's completely dark,” said Bryant, 47. “It's been cool enough for us to raise the windows, but it's been terrible not knowing when our lights will turn on.”
Thursday marked 10 days since the majority of Gary residents have been without power after strong storms ripped through the city.
NIPSCO , which serves all of Gary, said more than 22,000 of its 35,800 customers, or 61%, remained without power Thursday. The utility company said power would be fully restored in Gary by Tuesday, Aug. 25, but Bryant said the company has repeatedly pushed back the restoration date. However, local efforts, like the food distribution event at The Gospel Truth Apostolic Ministry, 5829 W. 15th Ave., are helping residents like the Bryants get through the blackout, which has also taken a financial toll.
Bryant said the outage has spoiled all of her refrigerated and frozen food, and she can’t afford a generator to keep her appliances running.
“Even if I could afford the generator, the person on the next street got their generator stolen off the porch,” she said. “If I do spend the money for a generator and somebody steals it, I'm still back in the same darkness.”
Lisa Bryant looks over at Jackie Parker Bryant during a grocery and food handout at Gospel Truth Apostolic Ministry at 5829 W. 15th Ave. in Gary on Thursday.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Pastor Valerie Clarke said the church distributes groceries at least once a month, but the need in the community has grown amid the ongoing power outages.
“The community is totally devastated,” Clarke said. “But while we don't have power, we're grateful that we still have our lives.”
Clarke said the church is doing what they can to help those in need.
“No one should have to go hungry,” she said.
Bryant said the outage has also cost her income. She works as a food service manager at a nearby school, but classes citywidehave been canceled until power is restored.
The Gary Community School Corporation did not respond to a request for comment.
While Bryant has been without power, her parents have had to spend extra money to run a generator that keeps their medical equipment operating and their medications refrigerated.
Parker Bryant and her husband, Alan, both rely on CPAP machines to sleep, while Alan, who has diabetes, needs to keep his medication refrigerated.
“We’re retired, we don’t have money to spare,” said Parker Bryant, 75.
Businesses in Gary have also been hit hard by the outage.
Local restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, banks, along with other private businesses are still currently without power. Many remained closed while others were operating in a limited capacity.
Saleh Mohamed, owner of the Clark gas station at 2295 Richard Gordon Hatcher Blvd., said he had to close the business for four days before he could get a generator.
He’s using two generators to power the business, but they’re only enough to keep the gas pumps, cash register and lights running.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “We thought it was going to be a day or two and we’d be good to go.”
Mohamed said that when the business reopened Sunday, they were overwhelmed by customers looking to fill up their cars or gas cans for generators. Business has since slowed, but he said the station is one of only a few in the area that remain open.
Clark gas station owner Saleh Mohamed in his gas station at 2295 Richard Gordon Hatcher Blvd in Gary on Thursday.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Gary Chambers of Commerce President Charles Hughes said that he has not been given a restoration timeline for businesses, as NIPSCO is prioritizing residential areas over businesses.
Hospitals have been restored, though, due to their critical need. Officials said they have been told that power for other businesses and residents could possibly be restored by Tuesday.
Mayor Eddie Melton acknowledged Wednesday how frustrating and difficult the outages have been for residents and said that a $100,000 donation from Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana would support ongoing storm recovery efforts across the city.
“You have been patient, you have been been understanding and you’ve been frustrated with the delays, just like me and my family,” Melton said Wednesday . “Progress is being made, power is actively being turned on. But many residents are still suffering without power.”
The funds will provide direct assistance to residents affected by the storm and help distribute critical supplies, including food, water, health and hygiene products, and cleaning and debris-removal materials.
Bryant said Gary residents were resilient, but after nine days without power, they had endured enough.
“Just turn the lights on,” Bryant pleaded. “That’s all I ask.”
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