The City of Gary's Emergency Financial Assistance Program was created to provide immediate relief to residents impacted by the devastating derecho storm, and the response from the community has demonstrated how significant the need remains.
When this crisis emerged, the city, alongside the Legacy Foundation, committed an initial $250,000 to help families begin their recovery. Within one week, recognizing the overwhelming demand, the city worked with partners to secure and deploy an additional $250,000, bringing the total emergency assistance available to $500,000.
"The overwhelming response to this program shows both the heavy toll the derecho took on our neighborhoods and the extraordinary resilience of our residents," said Mayor Melton. "While these emergency funds couldn't fix every problem, mobilizing half a million dollars in direct aid for over 1,100-1,200 households in record time proves what we can achieve when our community pulls together. We are deeply grateful to CoAction, the Legacy Foundation, our partners, and every donor who stepped up, and we will keep fighting every day to help Gary rebuild."
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These funds were made possible through the generosity of donors who contributed to the Greater Gary Storm Recovery Fund through the Legacy Foundation. Legacy Foundation served as the fiscal agent for the fund, ensuring transparency, accountability, and that every dollar raised was directed toward supporting storm recovery efforts and providing assistance to Gary residents in need.
Through this effort, more than 1,500 applications have been received, and assistance has been approved for well over 1,100-1,200 Gary households seeking support. Hundreds of families have already received financial assistance, with funds placed directly into the hands of residents to help address urgent recovery needs such as food, clothing, hygiene supplies and emergency home repairs.
While many more residents continue to need assistance, it is important to remember that this emergency fund was never intended to be an unlimited resource capable of meeting every need created by a disaster of this magnitude. The goal from the beginning was to move quickly, provide meaningful support and assist as many Gary families as possible with the resources available. City officials note that, together with partners and generous donors, they were able to rapidly mobilize half a million dollars in direct assistance during one of the most challenging periods the community has faced.
The unprecedented demand underscores the tremendous impact this storm has had on the city. In two days, CoAction support lines received approximately 43,000 calls, while staff and partners worked around the clock to process applications, answer questions and connect residents to available resources. The team remains committed to serving residents with compassion, urgency and respect.
As this phase of financial assistance comes to a close, residents who have been affected by the storm are strongly encouraged to continue pursuing available recovery resources, including FEMA assistance. Federal recovery programs remain available and may provide support for eligible expenses and damages related to the storm. Residents who have not yet applied are urged to do so as soon as possible.
Moving forward, the remaining recovery resources available through the city will be focused on assisting eligible low-income residents and seniors with vegetation debris removal, tree-related hazards and other storm recovery efforts designed to help restore safety and stability in neighborhoods.
City officials extend their gratitude to CoAction, the Legacy Foundation, every donor who contributed to the Greater Gary Storm Recovery Fund and every community partner who helped make this emergency assistance program possible. They also thank the residents of Gary for their patience, resilience and determination throughout this recovery process. Together, the community has demonstrated what is possible when residents come together to support one another in a time of need.
