United Way Northwest Indiana Expands Financial Relief for Families Affected by August 11 Storm
$25,000 contribution will help address unmet household needs as recovery continues across Northwest Indiana
NORTHWEST INDIANA — September 2026 — United Way Northwest Indiana is expanding financial assistance for individuals and families in Porter County experiencing hardship following the devastating August 11 derecho, supported in part by a $25,000 contribution from Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) with support from the NiSource Charitable Foundation.
The storm disrupted much more than homes and neighborhoods. Extended power outages, flooding and property damage caused significant hardship for many families, including lost wages, spoiled food and damaged essential belongings. Many also faced additional expenses for temporary housing, child care and other unforeseen needs.
United Way Northwest Indiana is providing flexible financial relief to help eligible households address storm-related costs that may not be fully covered by insurance, federal disaster assistance or other recovery programs. More than 1,000 eligibility applications have already been submitted, and requests continue to come in as awareness of the assistance grows.
“The generosity shown throughout this crisis has been humbling,” said Chris White, president and CEO of United Way Northwest Indiana. “We are grateful to the NiSource Charitable Foundation and every donor and community partner helping us respond. Their support allows us to provide assistance directly to families whose lives were turned upside down by the storm.”
The $25,000 contribution provided by the NiSource Charitable Foundation and administered by the Portage County Community Foundation adds to the $500,000+ fund that allows United Way to respond to urgent and unmet household needs throughout the affected Northwest Indiana communities. This funding was provided by the NiSource Charitable Foundation through NIPSCO’s partnership with regional community foundations as part of the Helping When It Matters Most community recovery effort.
United Way is working to deploy available funding quickly, responsibly, and transparently. Applications are evaluated according to program eligibility requirements, documented storm-related hardship, and available resources.
“We know that recovery looks different for every household,” White said. “For one family, the greatest hardship may be lost income. For another, it may be temporary housing, transportation, food, child care, or replacing essential items. Our goal is to help fill the gaps so families can regain stability and move forward.”
The need is especially significant for Northwest Indiana’s ALICE households—families that earn more than the federal poverty level but not enough to consistently afford basic household expenses. Before the storm, approximately 42% of households across the region were already living below the ALICE financial-sustainability threshold. For these families, a prolonged power outage, missed paycheck or unexpected expense can quickly become a financial crisis.
How to Apply for Assistance
Northwest Indiana residents who experienced financial hardship because of the August 11 storms are encouraged to complete United Way Northwest Indiana’s Storm Recovery Assistance Eligibility Application at:
www.unitedwaynwi.org/storm-recovery-assistance
Applicants should describe how the storm affected their household and created financial hardship. Due to the high volume of requests, applicants should allow approximately 7 to 10 business days for the initial eligibility review. Approved assistance will be provided according to program guidelines and available funding. If an applicant does not qualify for this particular assistance, United Way will make every effort to connect the household with other available resources.
Questions may be directed to crisishelp@unitedwaynwi.org or 219-464-3583.
“United Way is here to serve,” White said. “Our mission is to strengthen families and communities, and that commitment is especially important when our neighbors are facing circumstances they could never have anticipated. We will continue working alongside our donors and partners to get help to the people who need it.”
Support for this recovery effort includes funding from the NiSource Charitable Foundation through NIPSCO’s partnership with regional community foundations.
About United Way Northwest Indiana
United Way Northwest Indiana unites partners, volunteers and resources to strengthen families and communities throughout Lake, Porter, Jasper, Newton and Starke counties. Its work advances financial stability, youth opportunity, healthy communities and community resiliency, with a particular focus on helping families overcome financial hardship and build lasting stability. Learn more at www.unitedwaynwi.org.
About the NiSource Charitable Foundation
The NiSource Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and serves as the charitable arm for NiSource Inc. and its companies operating under the NIPSCO and Columbia Gas brands. The Foundation’s mission is to create strong and sustainable communities where its employees and customers live and work. The Foundation lives up to its mission by providing charitable grants to nonprofit organizations and by encouraging employee volunteerism. Learn more at www.NiSource.com/Foundation.
About NIPSCO
Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO), with headquarters in Merrillville, Indiana, has proudly served the energy needs of northern Indiana for more than 100 years. As Indiana’s largest natural gas distribution company and the second-largest electric distribution company, NIPSCO serves approximately 900,000 natural gas and 500,000 electric customers across 32 counties. It is one of six regulated utility companies of NiSource (NYSE: NI), one of the largest fully regulated utility companies in the United States. NiSource employees are focused on the mission to deliver safe, reliable energy that drives value to customers and are guided by the vision of being an innovative and trusted energy partner. More information is available at www.NIPSCO.com and www.NiSource.com.
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