The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked economic upheaval that places more Americans at risk of being homeless, exacerbating the issue existing long before the current health crisis. A surge in evictions during 2020 prompted a federal order to temporarily halt such ousters, enabling many Americans to stay in their home, but the pandemic created poignant challenges for those already without a fixed residence.

Resources for the homeless were strained as that population expanded, some shelters had to close, and basic housing costs soared. On this week’s Kansas Reflector podcast, Tim Carpenter is joined by Joseph Reitz, who helped start Family Promise of Lawrence more than a decade ago to help families with kids with shelter, food and counseling with the goal of getting those people permanently housed with jobs.