Expand / Collapse search
☰

Detroit homeless non-profit looks for solutions in response to Trump executive order

By
Published  August 11, 2025 8:24pm EDT
Detroit
FOX 2 Detroit
Non-profit's mission to help homeless Detroiters

Non-profit's mission to help homeless Detroiters

A truck parked outside City Hall had a steady stream of people looking for help. Gail Marlow says they typically hand out 100 meals a day. That's on trend with the number of homeless people nationwide. According to the White House, in 2024, 274,224 people across the U.S. were said to be living on the street on a single night.

The Brief

    • In 2024, 274,224 people across the U.S. were said to be living on the street on a single night.
    • In response, President Trump issued an executive order to commit those with mental illness who pose a risk to themselves or others to an institution.
    • In Detroit, some say there are systems that need to change if we want to reduce the homeless population.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - It's a problem that gets worse year after year with no real end in sight. That's coming from the co-founder of Motor City Mission, a non-profit that works to help homeless Detroiters.

FOX 2 recently spoke with the co-founder of the mission, who is keeping a close eye on what is happening in D.C. The Motor City Mitten Mission truck doesn't have to go far to illustrate the need in the city.

Big picture view:

A truck parked outside City Hall had a steady stream of people looking for help. Gail Marlow says they typically hand out 100 meals a day.

That's on trend with the number of homeless people nationwide. According to the White House, in 2024, 274,224 people across the U.S. were said to be living on the street on a single night.

In response, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that gives federal authority to commit those with mental illness who pose a risk to themselves or others to an institution with or without their consent.

The President also posted on Truth Social that he wants the homeless to immediately move far from the nation's capital and indicated the crackdown will happen very fast.

Local perspective:

In Detroit, Marlow says there are systems that need to change if we want to reduce the homeless population, pointing first to more affordable housing.

In response to the President's comments and executive order, Marlow says we need advocacy and empathy, not more enforcement and incarceration.

Motor City Mitten Mission just got a contract with the City of Detroit to operate a hotline: 313-500-1956.

You can also check their website out by tapping here.

As the homeless population continues to grow, so does the need for volunteers. Marlow says a little compassion goes a long way.

In 2025 alone, the Motor City Mitten Mission will serve 50,000 meals to those facing homelessness.

DetroitCommunity