GARY – Following the severe storms that caused widespread damage and extended power outages across Northwest Indiana, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary continues to provide direct financial assistance to residents of Lake, Porter and La Porte counties who are facing storm-related expenses.
As households continue to recover, Catholic Charities is assisting eligible residents with specific financial needs resulting from the storms and their aftermath.
“We have received more than 1,000 requests for storm-related assistance, with more arriving each day, and our team continues working directly with residents to help address their immediate and long-term recovery needs,” said Terry Seljan, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary.
Storm Relief assistance may be available for food replacement due to storm-related power outages, insurance deductibles related to storm damage, essential home repairs resulting from storm damage, household appliance replacement for essential appliances damaged or lost as a result of the storms, storm-related rent or mortgage assistance and other verified storm-related needs.
“While the power has been restored for most of our communities, the financial impact of these storms did not end when the lights came back on,” Seljan said. “Many of our neighbors are now facing the cost of repairs, replacing essential items and recovering from expenses they simply could not have anticipated. We want residents to know that help is still available.”
Catholic Charities is able to provide this assistance due to the generosity of organizations and individuals who have contributed to the Storm Relief Fund. Catholic Charities gratefully acknowledges support from the Chicago Bears Football Club, Catholic Charities USA, Foundations of East Chicago, Legacy Foundation, Porter County Community Foundation, United Healthcare Group, and hundreds of individual donors who have responded with compassion for their Northwest Indiana neighbors.
“The generosity we have witnessed has been remarkable,” Seljan said. “Every contribution to this fund is helping a neighbor recover from an unexpected hardship. We are deeply grateful to the organizations and individuals who have made it possible for us to continue saying, ‘Yes, we can help.’”
On Aug. 22, faithful from all over the diocese were participating in the 2026 Emmaus Conference at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso, where a collection was taken up to support the effort of Catholic Charities. Conference participants donated approximately $3,051.25.
Vicky Hathaway, coordinator for youth and young adults for the diocese, said it was important to acknowledge the recent storms because “we love our diocese and know that many people throughout the Region have been, and continue to be, affected by them.”
“When there was an opportunity to help, we knew we wanted to respond,” she said. “One of the goals of the Emmaus Conference is to inspire Catholics to grow in their faith and live it out in practical ways. Supporting those impacted by the storms was a meaningful way for conference participants to put their faith into action and demonstrate solidarity with our local community.”
That same day, the Chicago Bears announced $100,000 in donations to support communities impacted by severe storms and flooding across Northwest Indiana. The gift was made to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary to address immediate and ongoing needs in affected communities, including food, clothing, housing assistance and other recovery resources for communities where many families remain without power, are displaced from their homes and face a long rebuilding process. Those funds were received recently and are now being used.
“We are very grateful for this generous gift from the Bears, which will immediately benefit many people in need who have been impacted by recent storms and provide for ongoing recovery efforts,” said The Most Reverend Robert J. McClory, Bishop of Gary, “Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary has been responding to local needs from day one. The support from the Bears and many other partners will help elevate efforts to reach the most vulnerable in our communities. I encourage everyone to continue to pray, reach out to our neighbors who are suffering, and support efforts by Catholic Charities and others to assist those in need.”
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary has served Northwest Indiana since 1937, providing compassionate assistance to individuals and families facing difficult circumstances. Through its programs and services, Catholic Charities provides help and creates hope for people of all faiths and backgrounds. For more information or to donate, visit catholic-charities.org/
How to Apply for Storm Relief Assistance
Residents of Lake, Porter and La Porte counties seeking Storm Relief assistance must complete an application and intake process. Each request is reviewed individually based on the household’s storm-related needs and available funding.
The process begins by emailing Outreach@catholic-charities.org. Residents should include their name, phone number, community of residence and a brief description of the storm-related assistance they are seeking. A member of the Catholic Charities team will respond with information about the application and intake process and any documentation needed to verify the request. Residents may also call 219-886-3549, Option 2 for additional information.
“Every household’s situation is different,” Seljan said. “Our team is working directly with residents to understand what they are facing and determine how we can best help them stabilize and move forward in their recovery.”
