Thousands of residents in Gary, Indiana, are still dealing with the aftermath of powerful storms that tore through Northwest Indiana earlier this month. Nearly two weeks after winds reportedly reached 100 mph, damaged utility poles and power lines continue to leave parts of the city without electricity.

The prolonged outage has placed growing pressure on local officials and utility crews, with families facing difficult conditions and businesses dealing with continued losses. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has activated the National Guard to help with recovery efforts, while President Donald Trump has approved an emergency declaration that allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide additional assistance.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton has continued pressing Northern Indiana Public Service Company, known as NIPSCO, for answers and faster restoration. In a video address Sunday, Melton said residents should not have to wait nearly two weeks for their electricity to return and urged the utility to restore remaining service by Tuesday, August 25.

The mayor also acknowledged the frustration building among residents who have spent days trying to determine when their neighborhoods will finally have power again.

While crews continue working on the damaged infrastructure, help is also coming from outside the city government.

Food influencer Keith Lee and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton have joined forces with the Salvation Army, Ace Hardware and Gary officials to organize a community relief event. The effort is designed to provide residents with food, supplies and a place to gather while the city continues dealing with the extended outage.

According to reports, Lee committed $15,000 worth of supplies to the relief effort, while Haliburton contributed an additional $15,000. Their involvement came after Lee brought attention to Gary’s prolonged power outage on social media.

Lee said the lack of widespread attention to the situation concerned him and prompted him to take action. His social media posts helped draw additional attention to the conditions facing residents.

The relief event is planned for Roosevelt Park Pavilion, where organizers expect to distribute food and essential supplies while they last. A DJ provided through the city is also expected to be part of the gathering, and local restaurants, food trucks and other food providers have expressed interest in participating.

For residents who have been without electricity for days, the event will not solve the underlying problem. Power restoration remains the central concern, particularly for families, older residents and businesses that have had to cope with an unusually long outage.

Still, organizers say the gathering can provide practical assistance while also giving residents an opportunity to come together.

The situation in Gary highlights how quickly severe weather can disrupt a community long after the storm itself has passed. With damaged infrastructure requiring extensive repairs, residents and officials are now waiting to see when the remaining power problems will finally be resolved.