Dear Neighbors, Friends, and Supporters of Brothers’ Keeper:
Every contribution, large or small, restores faith, renews hope, and creates opportunity for men striving to rebuild their lives. While the true beneficiaries of your kindness are the men we serve, we also pray that God will pour abundant blessings upon you, your family, and your loved ones.
No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution. Your compassion provides a clear and powerful answer to the age-old question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Yes—indeed, we are. For four decades, our emergency shelter has provided thousands of men with a safe place to rest, renewed hope, and a true sense of belonging. The recent severe thunderstorm and derecho that impacted Gary on August 11th caused significant disruption to Brothers’ Keeper and our ability to provide essential shelter, meals, and supportive services to unhoused men and veterans.
The prolonged three-week power outage resulted in the spoilage and disposal of approximately 4,700 pounds of food, as well as the disruption of refrigeration and other essential equipment. This tremendous loss directly affected our ability to provide meals to our residents and to those who depend upon our community services in a food desert. The storm also placed considerable strain on our aging facility and created unexpected expenses that were not included in our normal operating budget.
Thanks to the generosity and assistance of our community, we were eventually able to obtain a generator that provided a measure of much-needed relief. However, the prolonged loss of electricity, telephone service, and internet access completely disrupted our communications. As a result, we were heartbreakingly unable to assist more than a dozen individuals who seek emergency shelter daily- a need that existed even before this devastating storm.
The interruption of our food pantry also had a profound impact on Midtown residents, including men, women, and children, who were unable to receive much-needed emergency food and household supplies. Our Warming/Cooling Center was likewise adversely affected, further limiting our ability to provide relief to vulnerable members of our community during a time of extraordinary need.
You can drop off physical donations from our attached wish list directly at our facility 2120 Broadway, Gary, IN 46407. If you prefer to make a monetary gift to help us purchase these items in bulk, you can donate instantly via Zelle/(219) 882-4459 or send a check/money order to our office. We’ve also created a GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/09fee003e to help us recover and continue providing these critical resources.
In His Care,
W Isaac Mootye, Executive Director
The Brothers’ Keeper Family
