In the first episode of Season 5, Carol Jenkins returns as co-host and introduces us to her new partner, David Ambroz. David brings both personal and professional experience to the issue of poverty in this country, having been at times unhoused and in foster care. He now works to provide support for young adults transitioning out of foster care in California.

Then joining us again is Holly Fogle, founder of The Bridge Project, who gives us an update on the expansion of what was an initial seed of an idea: giving cash directly to mothers. Now with over 4,000 mothers receiving payments across 12 states, Holly tells us how and why it’s working.

Next up, author Brian Goldstone talks about how he went in-depth with several Atlanta families for years, documenting their journeys through homelessness and, in many cases, how they are not “homeless enough” or “the right kind of homeless” to receive help.

Closing out our first episode is Matt Sherman, general manager of Refettorio Harlem. Carol has volunteered at one of their fine-dining services, which they provide to anyone who shows up to eat. Their dinners are free of cost but full of dignity and care.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, visit the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty.

The podcast is hosted by Carol Jenkins and David Ambroz.

Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John.

Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz.

Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder.

“It’s managing to trust. It’s not distrusting people in poverty and micromanaging them.”

We bring you three inspiring interviews that focus on the action of creating real change for Invisible Americans:

1. Dr. James Farber talks about matching young people with job training to provide elder care in New York, meeting two needs at once. Two graduates of the Skillspring program, Denim Lee and Chris Kelly-Davis, share their experiences.

2. Dr. Juliet Widoff gets real about her work as an MD practicing "street medicine" and reaching those who need health care the most.

3. Khin Mai Aung gets to the root of how to help those in poverty: bring them into the conversation. The Children's Defense Funds aims to do just that.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the Podcast page on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty.

The podcast is hosted by Carol Jenkins.

Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John.

Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz.

Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder.

We open this episode with a clip of one of our previous guests, Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, president of MomsRising, speaking at a 24-hour vigil at the U.S. Capitol with an aim of protecting Medicaid.

Then Carol and our first guest host, David Ambroz, talk to Natalie Foster, president and cofounder of Economic Security Project. They discuss how we can "center inherent worth and dignity of every American" through policy choices like guaranteed income.

Then they speak with Dr. Sarah Cowan, executive director of NYU's Cash Transfer Lab, about how Alaska is leading the way through the Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend, which pays out directly to all Alaskans every year.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the Podcast page on the Invisible Americans website.The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty. The podcast is hosted by Carol Jenkins.Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John. Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz. Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder.

We open with excerpts from Sen. Cory Booker’s 25-hour filibuster and Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s speech reintroducing the American Family Act—described as “an antidote to child poverty.”

Our host Carol Jenkins speaks with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner (Mom’s Rising) and Fatima Goss Graves (National Women’s Law Center) about the wave of Hands Off protests and the urgent need to resist cuts that target children and families while rewarding billionaires.

We also look ahead to 2026 and the razor-thin margins that could shift control in Congress. With just a few seats deciding the future, the time to get organized is now.

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For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the ⁠Podcast page⁠ on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty. The podcast is hosted by Co-Presidents Jeff Madrick and Carol Jenkins.

Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John. Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz. Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder

We open with a clip of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaking about how she’s been working with the state legislature to get cash back into the parents of young children – at the time when parenthood hits wallets the hardest.

Then we feature a clip from December 2024. Carol spoke with New York Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald at a symposium hosted by the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University. They discussed how the federal transition impacts programs at the state level – and how it doesn’t.

To close the show, friend of the podcast and child poverty reduction guru Kate Breslin joins us to discuss where New York stands on its goal to cut child poverty in half by 2031 – and what choices all of us can urge our elected officials to make in our own states and districts.

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For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the ⁠Podcast page⁠ on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty. The podcast is hosted by Co-Presidents Jeff Madrick and Carol Jenkins.

Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John. Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz. Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder.

In this episode, we take a look into what poverty actually looks like. We dive deep into Robin Hood's newly published poverty tracker with Chris Wimer, director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University, and Chloe Sarnoff, Director of Policy Research at Robin Hood.

Then we talk to Christine Quinn, CEO and president of WIN, discusses the nuts and bolts of providing shelter to the unhoused - and how the face of homelessness in New York City is "a five-year-old with a working mother."

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For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the ⁠Podcast page⁠ on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty. The podcast is hosted by Co-Presidents Jeff Madrick and Carol Jenkins.

Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John. Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz. Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder.

Carol Jenkins talks to Speaker of the New York City Council Adrienne Adams about the $1.5 million plan to provide unconditional cash support for expectant parents facing housing crisis.

Then Carol and our first guest host of the season, Dr. C. Nicole Mason, talk to Executive Director of the Bridge Project Laura Clancy about cash payouts in urban and rural areas.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the ⁠Podcast page⁠ on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty. The podcast is hosted by Co-Presidents Jeff Madrick and Carol Jenkins.

Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John. Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz. Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder.

"It's a solution that's elegantly simple."

Jeff and Carol talk to Dr. Dave Chokshi, who served as the Former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, about how to actually get on track to reduce child poverty in half by 2032. He says there is an "elegantly simple" solution: put money into the pockets of parents and caregivers.

They then talk with Greg Silverman, chef, activist, and CEO of the West Side Campaign Against Hunger. WSCAH organizes dozens of community-based partner sites across four boroughs, providing more than 5 million pounds of food to over 100,000 New Yorkers last year.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the ⁠Podcast page⁠ on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty. The podcast is hosted by Co-Presidents Jeff Madrick and Carol Jenkins.

Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John. Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz. Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder.