Broke

The authors share more behind-the-scenes stories from their book, Broke in America. In the telling, they reveal why so many people in the U.S. don’t have the money – or the time – to eat healthfully.

Keywords: school nutrition, food insecurity, SNAP, community eligibility, food environment

Drawing on their book, Broke in America, Goldblum and Shaddox discuss enormous problems with water affordability and safety within the U.S.

Some employers are saying that they cannot fill jobs. Goldblum and Shaddox have a revolutionary idea: Pay your workers and treat them well.

In 2019, 35 million US Americans experienced food insecurity. Half again as many may go hungry because of the pandemic. We talk with Betti Wiggins, a school nutrition officer in Houston, about changes that can increase food access during (and after) COVID-19.

We welcome Phillip Vander Klay of the National Diaper Bank Network who talks about the role nonprofits can play in making sure poverty doesn’t rob people of the right to vote. We talk about nonpartisan actions nonprofits can take and how local elections matter too, as illustrated by a struggle in Colleen’s hometown.

Children who live in low income and minority households are more likely to lack Internet access. If you can’t do your online homework, do you fail? Will distance learning still be the standard come fall? Joanne and Colleen discuss the necessity of Internet access in the 21st century and the urgency of making it universal.

The US could lose 4.5 million childcare slots if the industry doesn’t get immediate assistance. Why is Congress dragging its feet? Joanne and Colleen discuss why, as usual, women in low-wage jobs and their children will suffer most.

Description: Broke welcomes Lindsay Gray of Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank in Alabama and Rachel Alston of the PDX Diaper Bank in Oregon. They talk about how they are struggling with dramatically increased need created by the pandemic - and how you can help.

The president is proposing $500 billion in cuts over the next decade. This would result in closed hospitals, less access to primary care and hikes in supplemental plan premiums.

Deep cuts to entitlements, a failure to invest in infrastructure and affordable housing — all in the name of tax cuts for the rich and spending on weapons. We break down the Trump budget and what you can do about it.