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Chicago Tribune
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Community news: Soil tour and Back to School Carnival
The Portage Mayor's Senior Advisory Committee invites all senior artists over the age of 55 to enter the Annual Senior Art Fair. The Portage branch of the Porter County Public Library System, 2665 Irving St,, will accept up to two original pieces of art beginning Aug. 1. The artwork will be displayed throughout the month of September. An Artist's Reception will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 20. More information can be found at 219-462-0524 or at 219-764-5741. Marbleseed, a nonprofit committed to supporting farmers toward a sustainable, organic farming system, will host a Field Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen, 411 E. Fifth Ave., Gary. During the event, attendees will learn more about how Families Anchored in Total Harmony (FAITH) CDC supports their local community through food access and health equity. The day will include a farm tour. Attendees will learn about FAITH CDC's youth training, fresh/frozen, and food is medicine programs. For more information, visit call 888-906-6737or email info@ Merrillville Community School Corporation invites families and community members to kick off the new school year with their first Back-to-School Carnival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 2 at Merrillville High School, 276 E. 68th Place, Merrillville. The event is free. The carnival will feature a variety of activities, including games, face painting, bounce houses, live entertainment, food vendors, and informational booths about upcoming school programs and resources. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet teachers, and learn about school supplies and enrollment. For more information, call 219-650-5300 or visit The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana and Regional Health Systems, a member of Regional Care Group, have partnered to make monthly food deliveries to individuals with behavioral health struggles across Lake County. Since February, the organizations have successfully served more than 90 residents at eight Regional Health Systems residential facilities in Merrillville, Griffith and Hobart. Currently, 560 food boxes have been delivered to people in need. These menus are carefully prepared by a certified nutritionist to meet the dietary needs of individuals living with chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. The project is supported by the Lake County Health Department and funded through Health First Indiana, a state initiative aimed at improving public health infrastructure through state and local partnerships. Health First Indiana's mission is to provide essential public health services, focusing on community-driven programs. In addition to the ongoing behavioral health nutrition project, the Food Bank's funding is being used to combat infant mortality in Lake County by providing medically tailored, nutrient-dense foods to food-insecure pregnant women. As part of these efforts, the Food Bank is building an automated smart locker at the Lake County Health Department in Crown Point, offering greater access and convenience for individuals in need. For more information about the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana or Regional Health Systems, visit or Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) is now accepting applications for Fall 2025 tree planting through the CommuniTree Grant Program. Communities can apply to receive quality caliper native trees to plant and maintain in public spaces in Northwest Indiana's Lake Michigan watershed. Eligible applicants include public entities, such as municipalities, schools, churches and conservation, community or service organizations. Tree recipients must agree to properly plant, mulch and maintain trees and water them for at least three years. Training will be provided before the tree distribution. Applications are due by Aug. 8. For full details and to apply, visit For more information, contact Jen at 219-763-6060. Representatives from Lake County Soil Health Improvement Program — a partnership between Purdue Extension Lake County, Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District, Urban Soil Health, and local farms — will lead a soil tour in Gary and Merrillville from 4-7 p.m. on July 29. Participants will be able to see real-life demonstrations about using soil health practices like cover crops, mulching, native plants, and composting from local gardeners working with soils in the Gary and Merrillville area. Bus transportation will be provided to the program locations as well as light refreshments. To register, visit For special dietary needs, and if you need an interpreter or translator, or any other accommodations to attend, please contact Rebecca Koetz at (219) 755-3240 or email busser@ by July 25.
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Gary Harm Reduction works with local agencies to provide services
Although federal funding changes are challenging Gary Harm Reduction, the local grassroots organization does what it can to help those affected by addiction in Northwest Indiana. The local organization hosted Regional Health Systems' medical van from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, doing community outreach for those with nowhere else to go. 'We can't do what we do without other systems and the same with them,' said Executive Director Kristen Martin. 'My approach is all hands on deck, all fighting, all inclusive. … We don't want to further stigmatize or harm anybody, so we're just making sure people's values align.' The organization was founded in 2020, according to its website, and it provides the opioid antidote naloxone, known by its brand name Narcan, advocacy for substance users and people in recovery. The group is entirely volunteer and has distributed more than 5,000 Narcan kits, according to its website. Indiana's overdose death rate is 41 per 100,000 individuals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lake County has the second-highest overdose rate in the state, according to Post-Tribune archives. For the local unhoused population, Gary Harm Reduction provides items like fresh clothes, blankets, ponchos and other items, Martin said. Gary Harm Reduction works with the medical van every first and third Wednesday of the month, Martin said. Regional Health Systems provides medical and dental services through its van, said Practice Manager Douglas Van Ramshorst, and it can assist with harm and overdose reduction. 'This looks pretty much like any other family doctor's office,' Van Ramshorst said. 'We can see kids, elderly folks, adults, do sick visits, primary care visits, physicals, pretty much anything.' The medical van helps ensure that Regional Health Systems is providing care to all areas that need it, Van Ramshorst said. Regional Health Systems' medical van isn't a free clinic, Van Ramshorst said, but they bill patients later and don't accept payment on-site. Most patients have Medicaid or Medicare, and Regional Health Systems accepts 'almost every private insurance.' The agency charges based on a sliding scale, which allows people to pay based on their income. For example, if someone is homeless and has no income, the organization waives all fees. 'We're a fairly qualified health center, which means that we don't turn anyone away due to their inability to pay,' Van Ramshorst said. 'We always tell people, 'If you're going to have an issue, going to us is better than going to urgent care or the emergency room'.' Since the beginning of 2025, Gary Harm Reduction has seen its federal and state grants decrease from about $500,000 to about $50,000, Executive Board Member Robert Bailey previously told the Post-Tribune. Federal cuts went to diversity, equity and inclusion, LGBTQ+ and HIV grants, Bailey previously said. The city of Gary has multiple Narcan vending machines, including one at Gary Harm Reduction's 5610 W. Ridge Road location. Martin said. The city's Narcan machines were funded through the Opioid Settlement Fund, which is a state program. Gary hasn't had to pivot plans for Narcan due to changes in federal funding, city spokesperson Erika Blackwell said in an email. In addition to Narcan, the machines also have socks, hand sanitizer, wipes and other sanitary items. Gary Behavioral Health Manager Chakara Gunn helps at Gary Harm Reduction, and in addition to the Narcan machine, she serves as a resource connection. 'People call and they're like, 'Hey, this is what I'm looking for',' Gunn said, 'and I can connect them from the health department to Kristen and the services she can offer.' For Martin, it's important to have connections like the Gary Health Department to reach more residents who need assistance. Gary Harm Reduction is also participating in community events that help raise awareness for their work, Martin said. On Saturday, the organization participated in the city's Neighborhood Wellness Block Party with other Gary health agencies. The organization also hosts an annual Region Recovery Riot, which will be Sept. 6 at the Gary Aquatorium. The Region Recovery Riot helps connect the community with prevention resources. Through the various provided resources, Martin hopes people become more comfortable asking for help when needed. 'There's no court orders saying they have to come here,' she said. 'It's all just love and wanting to help. … We're trying to get rid of the stigma.'
