Pictures from ICUs and rising death statistics don’t capture the entirety of how COVID-19 hurts Houstonians. If you want to see the full picture of how the coronavirus has turned lives upside-down, look at the lines outside food banks or the daily number of eviction hearings in justice of the peace courtrooms.

With news of COVID-19 vaccines in the headlines, it can feel like we’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Make no mistake: There is still a long, dark path until we emerge on the other side of the pandemic. Our nation will continue to suffer not just from the virus but from the economic and social fallout of the pandemic. Policymakers and philanthropies cannot ease efforts to help people through this crisis.