From Homeless Shelters To Case Worker
The remarkable story of Jessie Garcia, who went from living in a homeless shelter to earning a paycheck as a case worker.
News
Housing Assistance Program Allowed to Expire, Leaving People Homeless, Says NJ Senate Pres
Senate President Steve Sweeney says the state Department of Human Services' decision to let two housing assistance pilot programs expire has led to some people's homelessness.
Eating Well On $4 A Day
How can someone realistically eat on $4 a day? In this "Chasing the Dream" segment, we speak with New York University graduate Leanne Brown, who developed a resource for those who face this reality or anyone in need of stretching…
In NJ, 850,000 ALICE Families Struggle to Realize the American Dream
John Franklin, CEO of the United Way of Northern New Jersey, discusses how 850,000 families in New Jersey are struggling to make enough money to afford necessities, despite being employed.
Martin Luther King III Reflects On His Father’s Legacy
We celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with his eldest son Martin Luther King III as he reflects on his father's legacy.
Author and “Real World” Star Kevin Powell on Overcoming Poverty
As part of "Chasing The Dream, the multi-platform public media initiative on poverty and opportunity in America, we hear from Kevin Powell (a familiar face to those who watched MTV's "Real World") about his lifelong struggle to overcome a legacy…
What Do the GOP Candidates Have To Say About Poverty in America?
Six Republican presidential candidates met in Columbia, S.C. on Saturday to discuss an issue more closely associated with the party of F.D.R. and L.B.J. -- poverty. The forum was moderated by Sen. Tim Scott and House Speaker Paul Ryan, who…
Staying In School and Out Of Prison
It’s a phenomenon that experts call the “school-to-prison pipeline” and that actor and activist Anna Deavere Smith calls “Notes from the Field: Doing Time In School.” As part of our “Chasing The Dream” series, we take you to a distinguished…
Former Council Speaker Quinn Wants To Fix NYC’s Shelters
On any given night in New York City, nearly 23,00 children will lay their heads down in a homeless shelter. That’s more than a full-house at Madison Square Garden and more than two-thirds of the city’s total shelter population. (According…
Country’s Oldest Voluntary School Desegregation Program Grows in Rochester, New York
The Urban-Suburban program in Rochester, New York, has given minority children the opportunity to attend schools in the suburbs that have a far larger population of white students. The program is growing, but questions still remain remain about whether the…
Why the Poor Pay More
Many poor people rely on fringe financial services like check cashing stores and payday lenders, which charge interest rates that can reach the triple digits.
Battling the Payday Loan Industry in South Dakota
Payday loans are supposed to be a short-term quick fix for those who can’t get traditional credit. But the loans are rarely actually short-term, and borrowers frequently need to take out a second loan to pay off the first. Special…