Mayor Melton Announces "Gary SNAPS into Action Plan" to Aid Families During the Government Shutdown | November 10, 2025

 Mayor Melton Announces "Gary SNAPS into Action Plan" to Aid Families During the Government Shutdown.

City, Corporate, and Philanthropic Partners Pledge Over a Quarter of a Million Dollars in Immediate Food Relief Funding.

GARY, IN – Mayor Eddie Melton today announced a comprehensive local response plan, dubbed “Gary SNAPS into Action,” to stabilize food access for thousands of Gary residents facing uncertainty over their November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and EBT benefits due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. 

In a direct address to the community, Mayor Melton acknowledged the stress and fear facing families and declared the city’s proactive, multi-pronged strategy to ensure no resident goes hungry.

“This uncertainty isn’t just about paperwork—it’s about whether you can put food on the table for your children. It's stressful. It’s unfair. And I want you to know this: You are not alone,” said Mayor Melton. “While we are advocating fiercely for a resolution in Washington, we are not waiting for Washington to act. We are putting the ‘Gary SNAPS into Action Plan’ to work right here at home. Recently the USDA approved for 65 percent of the funding to be released to the states. But that is not enough, we must mobilize to assist families and special needs groups now.”

Council President and 1st District Councilwoman Lori Latham stated, "The Gary Common Council is united with Mayor Melton to do exactly what local government is called to do—step up for when our families and community is most vulnerable. The ‘Gary SNAPS into Action Plan’ reflects what happens when public, private, and philanthropic partners come together with urgency and empathy. We’re not just talking about policy—we’re talking about people’s actual lives.” 

"The City of Gary’s proactive plan to help feed residents during the government shutdown reflects the compassion and resilience of this community. The Food Bank and our agency partners are ready to build on our capacity to provide even more nutrition to the community during these challenging times." Stated Victor A. Garcia, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana

Key Components of the "Gary SNAPS into Action" Plan

Immediate Financial Commitment to Food Relief

The City of Gary and its partners have secured over a quarter of a million dollars ($275,000) in new funding for food assistance. This total combines significant contributions from corporate and philanthropic partners with funding from the City of Gary’s Department of Community Development, building on the City’s existing support for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana this year.

• Targeted Distribution: The majority of the funding will go directly to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. A portion will be reserved for emergency grants to Gary-based non-profit and faith-based organizations to expand their local food distribution efforts.
• Holiday Assistance: A specific allocation of the funds will be dedicated to the City’s annual Thanksgiving Giveaway to ensure families can celebrate the upcoming holiday season with food on their tables.
• Gary Sanitary District will forgive current late fees and suspend late fees for the remainder of 2025.

Personal & Corporate Volunteer Mobilization

The commitment to the community is not just financial, but personal. Mayor Melton announced that he will authorize City staff to volunteer directly with local food distribution efforts, placing city employees’ side-by-side with community members to help distribute resources.

Call to Action for Volunteers and Residents

Mayor Melton also called on the entire Gary Family to step up:

“We are facing this challenge together, Gary. We are greater together. We will continue to advocate, we will continue to partner, and we will continue to ensure that no family goes hungry.”

• Volunteer: Residents interested in joining the City's volunteer efforts for food distribution are encouraged to email: deharris@gary.gov or visit the dedicated page on the City's website.
• Information: Households affected by the potential benefit delays can find the latest updates, resources, and information on local food assistance by visiting the dedicated page ongary.gov and following the city’s official social media channels.
• Organization, churches & pantries serving specialty populations in Gary: You can apply for mini-grants (must be a registered 501c3) to help distribute food to the community through your channels. Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/NqiBidtee0?origin=lprLink
• Funding: Once your application is approved funding or food will be provided by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana who is the fiscal agent for the grants.  

We are Gary. We SNAP into Action. We will get through this TOGETHER.

Laid-off federal worker? There is a way to overcome it! 🆘

 

Link to a show episode 

I’m producing a podcast series highlighting the voices of laid-off Black federal employees — your challenges, triumphs, and what’s next. If you’d like to share your story, please follow the link to use this form:

 https://forms.gle/TUNyF3eaJxbPvRgF9

Why Blacks? Ask the Heritage Foundation!

Here’s the link to Project 2025 (also known as the “2025 Presidential Transition Project”):

PDF hosted by The Heritage Foundation — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 

Let's gather ourselves together. Here are some ways how:

💼 

Professional & Advocacy Networks

• Blacks in Government (BIG) – a national nonprofit supporting Black federal, state, and local employees. They often spotlight members’ career experiences. You can contact local chapters or post a request to speak with former federal employees.
  
• Website: bignet.org
• 
  
• National Urban League – through their workforce development or employment empowerment programs. (Call first to see if they still do this.)
• Federal Employee Unions like AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) or NTEU — many members are recently laid off or retired and may be open to interviews.

🌐 

LinkedIn & Facebook Groups

Search or post in groups such as:

• “Black Federal Employees Network”
• “Former Federal Workers Career Transition”
• “Blacks in Government National Chapter”
• “Federal Government Employees Support Network”
  

🗞️ 

Local Connections

• Contact local chapters of the Urban League, NAACP, or career transition programs in federal-heavy areas (like D.C., Maryland, Chicago, or Atlanta)

What Happened to Motorola? A Legacy of Innovation and Reinvention

Remember Motorola?

Motorola, the pioneering telecommunications giant, didn’t vanish—it’s evolved through splits, sales, and strategic shifts. Founded in 1928 as Galvin Manufacturing Corporation by brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin in Chicago, it started with battery eliminators for radios and quickly innovated in car radios, earning its “Motorola” name in 1930. 10 The company exploded during WWII with the SCR-536 “Handie-Talkie” walkie-talkie and later dominated mobile tech: inventing the first cellular phone (DynaTAC 8000X in 1983), the MicroTAC flip phone (1989), and the iconic RAZR V3 (2004), which sold 130 million units. 

But glory faded. By the mid-2000s, Motorola struggled against Nokia, Samsung, and Apple’s 2007 iPhone revolution. Sales halved, and it posted $4.3 billion in losses from 2007–2009 due to outdated designs, internal rivalries, and slow adaptation to smartphones. 

The Big Split: 2011

To survive, Motorola restructured dramatically. On January 4, 2011, it divided into two public companies:

• Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI): The “legal successor,” focusing on enterprise and public safety communications (radios, video security, command centers). It shed consumer products and thrived, hitting $10 billion in revenue in 2023 (up 9% YoY) and a $72.9 billion market cap as of August 2025. 1 8 12 Today, it serves governments, schools, and businesses in 100+ countries, with a $14.3 billion backlog entering 2024. 
• Motorola Mobility: The consumer arm (phones, tablets, accessories), spun off with Google’s $12.5 billion acquisition in May 2012 to bolster Android hardware. 

Post-Split Twists

Google owned Motorola Mobility briefly (2012–2014), launching Moto G and X series before selling it to China’s Lenovo for $2.91 billion in 2014. Lenovo integrated it, absorbing its own phone unit, and revived the brand with affordable, innovative devices like foldables. 

As of October 2025, Motorola Mobility (under Lenovo) ships 30+ million units annually, emphasizing the Edge (high-end), Razr (foldables), and Moto G (budget) lines. Its 2025 flagship is the Razr 60 Ultra, with sustainability goals like 50% recycled materials in products.   Recent wins include partnerships with Formula 1 (global sponsor from 2025) and FIFA. Headquartered in Chicago with ~4,000 employees, it’s profitable in emerging markets but trails giants like Samsung. 

Motorola’s “death” was a rebirth: from radio pioneer to split survivor, its DNA powers public safety (Solutions) and consumer gadgets (Mobility). The original conglomerate? Gone, but its innovations—like Six Sigma, born here in 1986—endure globally.

Writing Jobs from Indeed

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Writing Jobs from Indeed are posted here.

 

Default in our stars✨

Pres. Trump says mandatory payments like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security  are “next.” If those payments are not paid, the US government would have officially defaulted on its obligations. 

We all need
sustenance.

This is the current cash and borrowing situation for the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the risk of default — and what it potentially means.

• If the government cannot borrow more (because the debt ceiling isn’t raised) and cash-flows are insufficient, then it may have to delay or skip payments on some obligations (e.g., interest on Treasuries, benefits, salaries). That would be a default.  
• Such an event would likely trigger:
  
• sharply higher interest rates for U.S. government borrowing
• disruption in global financial markets, given Treasuries are foundational to many systems  
• potential cascading effects—like delays in payments to contractors, benefit payments, etc.
• It’s important to note that “default” doesn’t always mean the same thing in every context:
  
• A technical default might be a missed payment by a deadline or a payment made late.
• A sovereign default is broader: failing to meet obligations in a way that undermines faith in the government’s ability to pay.

  

  Feed the poor
  and hungry. 

  
  

• The U.S. government has not defaulted on its major obligations in a way that is widely recognized as a full default.
• However, the risk of default (or very significant payment delays) is real and rising, especially if there is a political impasse over the debt ceiling or budget.

📊 What the data show

• The Treasury’s main operating account — the Treasury General Account (TGA) — has a balance in the ball-park of $850 billion (about $851,952 million) as of October 15, 2025.  

• Treasury reports that its “operating cash held” increased to about $870.8 billion during Fiscal Year 2024.  

• The Treasury also uses what are called “extraordinary measures” when near the debt limit — accounting/manoeuvre tools to buy time when borrowing authority is constrained.  

• For example: The Treasury estimated an “X-date” (the day it runs out of funds to meet all obligations) would have come sometime in mid-to-late summer 2025, if no action was taken on the debt ceiling.  

✅ What this suggests

• Having ~$800-$900 billion in cash gives the Treasury a buffer to continue making payments for some time.

• The existence of extraordinary measures means the Treasury has tools to delay default even after hitting the statutory debt ceiling.

• So, immediate default is unlikely today, based on available data — there is time to act.

⚠️ What the risks / caveats are

• Although the cash balance is large, it doesn’t mean there is unlimited ability to pay everything indefinitely. The buffer is finite, and obligations are large and ongoing.

• Extraordinary measures are temporary. They buy time but are not a permanent fix. If Congress doesn’t act (or some revenue/spending shock happens), the buffer will run out.  

• The “X-date” estimates come with uncertainty: changes in revenue, spending, or unexpected obligations can move the date up or down.

• The recent raising of the debt limit (to ~ $41.1 trillion) gives more headroom but doesn’t remove underlying structural pressures.  

• At this moment, the U.S. government appears not to be on the brink of immediate payment default. The cash buffer and tools are working.

• However, if the government shutdown or debt-ceiling impasse continues or worsens, or surprises occur (e.g., large unforeseen payouts), the risk of delays or default rises.

• Key indicators to monitor:

• How fast the TGA (cash account) balance is drawn down.

• Whether Treasury signals a new “X-date” (the point at which it cannot meet all obligations).

• Whether extraordinary measures are being expanded or indicate stress.

• Political/legislative actions: whether Congress acts in time to raise or suspend the debt limit. 

Rent is due.

This explains late payments to Section 8 landlords but for someone concerned about programs like rent payments under federal subsidy programs (such as Section 8) or other federal payments: while there’s no confirmed broad default yet, delays are possible if cash-flows are strained. These “delays” have occurred since May 2025. 

It is important to note that Section 8 is not the only social service program in peril, however, it is a program fashioned for the working class to improve their circumstance and for the poor to have affordable housing.

Emergency Housing Voucher program that started during COVID, is running out of funds.

And in some cities — like Atlanta — housing agencies have even paused rent increases for landlords because of all the budget uncertainty.

So if you’re a tenant or landlord, it’s smart to check your housing portal or contact your agency just to make sure payments have gone through.

The bottom line is that Section 8 is still standing, but the system’s feeling the pressure.

And with the government shutdown stretching on, everyone’s watching to see how long it can hold. However, there are new budget items being added, creating a strain and cuing perception issue number one gazillion: Somebody’s addicted to flying in jets when they could probably use military transport. js

Friends, this isn’t just about numbers. It’s about priorities. When leaders find money for luxury planes but can’t agree on feeding the most vulnerable… what does that say about us as a nation?

We’ve all seen hard times. Some of us have lived through shutdowns, layoffs, uncertainty… and yet, here we are, trying to make sense of choices being made hundreds of miles above our heads — literally flying high — while others struggle just to eat.

De plane!

Here’s what the scale comparison looks like between the Homeland Security jet purchaseand monthly SNAP benefits — to put the impact in perspective:

✈️ DHS Jet Purchase

• Cost: about $172 million for two Gulfstream G700 jets

• Justification: “mission readiness” and replacement of aging aircraft

• Timing: During a federal shutdown and funding freeze, which has drawn bipartisan criticism

🍎 SNAP (Food Stamps) Monthly Outlay

• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves roughly 42 million Americans

• Average monthly benefit: around $180 per person

• Total monthly payout ≈ 42 million × $180 = $7.56 billion per month

So — in scale terms:

Item Estimated Cost Equivalent SNAP Coverage

2 DHS jets $172 million SNAP benefits for ~955,000 people for one month

1 month of all U.S. SNAP benefits $7.56 billion About 44× the cost of both jets

🧮 Budget Impact Context

While $172 million is small compared to total federal spending (over $6 trillion/year), it’s politically and ethically significant during a funding crisis:

• DHS’s purchase draws scrutiny because nonessential spending is supposed to pause under a shutdown.

• USDA has stated it will run out of funds for November SNAP benefits if Congress doesn’t act soon — meaning tens of millions could go without food assistance.

• The optics are stark: luxury aircraft being purchased while families may lose grocery money.

⚠️ Summary

• DHS jets: ~$172 million discretionary expenditure

• SNAP funding gap: ~$7.5 billion monthly risk

• Symbolically, one procurement equals nearly a million people’s food benefits for a month.

• The issue isn’t that the jets “caused” the SNAP shortfall — but that budget priorities and timing during a shutdown make the contrast glaring. 

🍎 SNAP (Food Stamps) Monthly Outlay

• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves roughly 42 million Americans

• Average monthly benefit: around $180 per person

• Total monthly payout ≈ 42 million × $180 = $7.56 billion per month

So — in scale terms:

Item Estimated Cost Equivalent SNAP Coverage

2 DHS jets $172 million SNAP benefits for ~955,000 people for one month

1 month of all U.S. SNAP benefits $7.56 billion About 44× the cost of both jets.

The issue isn’t that the jets “caused” the SNAP shortfall — but that budget priorities and timing during a shutdown make the contrast glaring. The saying, “Perception is 100 percent,” means although there may be extenuating circumstances, the People don't see those. They see you 🫵 flying high in a jet.