Five Years Post-COVID-19: Unprecedented Demand for Food and Shelter in Metro Detroit

PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) – It’s been five years since COVID-19 changed our lives forever. The impact of the pandemic is still very much alive in our communities.

As we approach the week of March 10, 2025, we remember the long lines at food pantries in Metro Detroit. Those lines are still here, and the need for assistance continues to grow.

Ryan Hertz, the president and CEO of Lighthouse, shared his thoughts with FOX 2. “So much has changed over the last five years, yet it all feels very close,” he noted. “The pandemic hit us hard back in 2020.”

Hertz described that time as overwhelming. Their team had to quickly adapt to new challenges. They worked hard to protect high-risk volunteers and clients while rethinking their emergency housing services.

At one point, they ramped up their food distribution from 500 households a week to 5,000. “It was a massive task,” Hertz said.

He’s thankful for community support during that time, which helped raise $3.5 million through online campaigns. This funding provided relief for several years, but now those resources are running low despite the ongoing demand for food and shelter.

“Families with children are the fastest-growing group facing homelessness,” Hertz pointed out. He stressed the importance of ensuring that children in these situations do not suffer the added trauma of being without a home.

Currently, homelessness is at its highest level both nationwide and locally. With funds from programs like the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan dwindling, meeting this growing need is becoming increasingly difficult.