Local food pantry critically low ahead of holiday season [Video]

PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — A local nonprofit is calling on the community after reaching a critical low.

The Oakland Hope Thrift Store and Food Pantry has been serving the Pontiac community for the last four years. Before that, they had a store in Waterford for more than seven years.

The nonprofit says prior to the pandemic, they saw about 5,000 monthly visitors to their food pantry. As many families are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, the nonprofit says they’re now seeing an average of 16,000 people into their food pantry per month.

“It started with COVID and people losing their jobs and stuff like that and then inflation. The gas prices are up, the food prices are up, day care is up. Everything is up and so people had to turn around and get something to supplement their food needs,” Pastor James Orman said.

The growing need comes at a time when the nonprofit …