The Long Tail of the Pandemic

Part III of The Economic Impact of COVID-19 with our very own Dr. Dawn Opel, Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives. She puts the cookies on the lower shelf by applying the research from the University of Michigan to estimate how long this current period of inflated need will last as the long tail of the pandemic begins to unfurl. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for emergency food assistance in Michigan, and that demand is expected to stay elevated for the foreseeable future. Post-shelter-in-place conditions—namely, uncertain K-12 school timelines/schedules and unemployment statistics—bring elevated needs for emergency food to the FBCM network of food banks. This elevated need will last through 2022 according to models created by our national organization, Feeding America, and by statisticians at the University of Michigan. As always, food FIRST!