Storm surge of good covers the Region following record-breaking storm damage
- By: Garrett Spoor
- Last Updated: August 13, 2026
It’s safe to say that this has been an atypical week in Northwest Indiana. Tens of thousands of households across Lake, Porter, and La Porte Counties have been dealing with power outages. For the businesses that have remained open for most of this period, the lines of cars replicate Chicago rush hour traffic.
With the majority of the Region out of power, schools, trees down, limited on gas, and roads blocked, the record storm has brought the majority of the Region together. City crews, volunteers, companies, churches, and neighbors have been pouring into the streets and helping out one another however they can. Clearing roads, tarping a horse, pumping out a basement, sharing resources – Northwest Indiana has been working as one over the past several days.
Here are some of the most positive stories from this week, with some extending through this weekend.
Community Resources
Town Planner of NWI creates forum for community resources
As a way to help our neighbors out to find the resources they need after the storm created so many power outages, the Town Planner of NWI Facebook page has created a forum to invite people throughout the Region to share what they know about available resources.
This includes free meals, open gas stations, Wi-Fi or charging stations, cooling centers, showers, ice, resources for pets, and more. If you are struggling to find what you need most at this time, check out the dozens of comments on this post to see what places are open and ready to serve you!
South Shore CVA supplies community members with ice and power
With the power going out in cities all across the Region, freezers only have so much time before all the food will spoil. Refrigerators have even less time, which has made ice one of the most prized possessions during these trying times.
The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority (CVA), open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., is supporting the community with ice, power, and restroom accessibility. If you need a place to charge your phone or laptop, swing by the Indiana Welcome Center and the South Shore CVA has you covered.
Griffith community offers mobile response van and more services to town residents
With a great deal of residents still powerless, Griffith businesses and city officials have worked diligently to satisfy its residents.
Local restaurants, such as Sangria Tapas & Grill and The Wurst, have remained open on Broad Street. Additionally, United Way Northwest Indiana is bringing its mobile response van to Griffith Town Hall from 2-7 p.m. on Thursday, August 13. Griffith Central Park sustained significant damage, from downed trees and power lines. and will remain closed to the public until it can be safely restored. Town crews, emergency services, utility workers, and the community partners are working hard to clear debris, restore services, and get Griffith back to normal as quickly and safely as possible.
Meals in the Region
Portage community unites local residents for meals of togetherness
Portage Mayor Austin Bonta is inviting everyone in the Region who is in need of a meal. The Salvation Army hosted a meal distribution event at Portage High School on Wednesday, August 12. This will continue until 2 p.m., or as supplies last, on Thursday, August 13.
Additionally, United Methodist Church and the American Legion Post 260 will be firing up their grills and serving food on a first come, first served basis. If you or someone you know has been scraping by with a food situation over the past few days, make sure to swing by and enjoy a hot meal with your loved ones.
Strack & Van Til feeds the community across six different locations
Between several restaurants and grocery stores being closed due to the effects of this storm, Strack & Van Til is ensuring that their customers are not going to go hungry. Families are welcome to come to any of the following Strack & Van Til locations for free food and drinks:
- St John – 9825 Wicker Avenue
- Hammond – 115 Sibley Street
- Highland – 9632 Cline Avenue
- Cedar Lake – 9605 Lincoln Plaza
- Portage – 6046 Central Avenue
- Valparaiso – 2800 N Calumet Avenue
Strack & Van Til will be providing these free nourishments from Thursday, August 13, through Saturday, August 15. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. stop by any of these six locations for free hot dogs, chips, water, and apples.
Hobart Community Center provides children with a delicious indoor picnic
The Hobart Community Center provided dozens of kids with a buffet of delicious food and snacks. Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlestun and other city officials stopped by to help cook some food on the grill for these kids on Wednesday, August 12.
Hot dogs, chips, drinks, cookies, fruit snacks – the meal every kid dreams off. The City of Hobart is thankful for how quickly the community came together to organize this event.
Graff Ford of Chesterton hosts community cookout
After the recent storms, Graff Ford of Chesterton wants to help out customers and neighbors alike. On Thursday, August 13, a community cookout will be taking place with hot food and cold drinks.
The cookout runs until 3 p.m., so feel free to grab a bite, cool off, and spend time at the dealership.
Free cookout for citizens affected in South Haven and East Gary
Lake Station Mayor Bill Carroll sponsored a free cookout for the communities that were affected by this wave of storms. Free of charge, the community had an opportunity to visit the American Legion Post 100 to enjoy a burger, hot dog, chips, or a drink on Wednesday, August 12.
Community volunteers were pleased to arrange these meals to help put a smile on the faces of their residents.
Chesterton Fire Department hands out free water
Free water is now available at the Chesterton Fire Department. The team is distributing bottles, with a couple of pallets’ worth purchased by the Town of Chesterton, to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 13.
Each person present in the vehicle is allowed to take two bottles each. Make sure to stop by and get some water before they run out!
Dunkin’ on Indian Boundary supplies free coffee and water
On Thursday, August 13, Dunkin’ in Chesterton will be providing attendees with free coffee and water. This is the Dunkin’ located on Indian Boundary Rd.
Pull into the parking lot and look for the “Free Coffee” sign upon your arrival.
Hot and ready coffee and breakfast for the Chesterton community
Breakfast was provided to Chesterton community members in need of a hot meal until supplies ran out on Thursday, August 13. At 709-2 Plaza Dr, families could eat for free with the help of community donations.
On Friday, August 14, free coffee will be available at 130 W Lincoln in Chesterton. This coffee will be hot and ready, and all the supplies will be provided to have to-go cups without lids.
Working Together
Duneland School Corporation supports the Westchester Food Pantry
With the demand for food higher than normal, even the places where we are going for food can run into obstacles. On Wednesday, August 12, the Westchester Food Pantry posted that they needed assistance.
In less than an hour, more than 600 pounds of food had been moved to the Liberty Intermediate School freezer that had been running on a generator. With the help of the Duneland School Corporation opening its doors, this helped save a plethora of food for the community.
Local man brings storm cleanup volunteer to urgent care
The dangers that come from a storm are one thing, but being a volunteer that is devoting efforts to cleaning up the city can be dangerous in itself. Lynda Mengeling Banister, a local Valparaiso resident, was doing storm cleanup when her foot got impaled by a twig.
When she was hoping to hop her way in one foot, a local young man came to the rescue. He helped carry Banister all the way back to the CVS Pharmacy in Valparaiso, and she was grateful for his assistance.
Highland High School students and faculty help houses in need
More than 30 Highland High School students, along with Principal Travis Anderson, teamed up to visit houses that needed assistance cleaning up after the storms. Branch by branch, the students have been working for multiple days to put a smile on the faces of these home owners.
The group expanded between the first and second day. You can come support the students with an even larger volunteer team for the days to come!
Dyer Construction provide storm cleanup and cleaning debris efforts
Every community has been dealt a bad hand with the amount of blown branches, flash flooding, and fallen trees. Northwest Indiana has been collaborating left and right to restore the Region to how it looked before the storms blew by.
In Dyer and Merrillville, Teamsters Local Union No. 142 and Dyer Construction have been clearing debris and helping out these communities recover. Dyer Construction has been doing clean up in Merrillville since June when a tornado hit, and they are motivated to finish the job. P&C has assisted Dyer Construction in these efforts, while also working directly with the Town of Munster.
While widespread in impact and devastating in consequences, the days since this storm have given the Region an opportunity to show its character with flying colors. Our Region is known for our hardworking, strong individuals, and we’re even better when we work together.
For a company that focuses on finding good news, we’re here to remind you that its supply is endless.
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