Cranbury native Lenwood Smith details his time in New York City during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. He discusses the many jobs that he has had and the struggles of keeping employment.
Read MoreSpotswood resident Shelly Brozio struggles to stay financially stable as she manages her Multiple Sclerosis. Her home was destroyed during Hurricane Sandy.
Read MoreRida Hasan immigrated to New Jersey when she was a child. She recently moved to Houston, Texas where she is able to support her family with more economic security.
Read MorePaul Burucelli has been in and out of the prison system and has experienced homelessness. He has graduated culinary school and now works in social services.
Read MoreBelleville resident Migdonia Carerro is working on her GED after raising her children, working, and taking care of family members.
Read MoreNew Brunswick resident Marlene Lopez is a single parent who works to support her children and her aging mother.
Read MoreBrian Kulas charts how his mental health and medical history deeply affect how he navigates the daily concerns of living in poverty.
Read MoreMarisela describes growing up in Mexico and coming to America as a teenager. She narrates her routine as a working mother of eight children.
Read MoreWalter Herres recounts how he ended up in the prison system after growing up in a middle-class, suburban home. He narrates the strategies he has used to survive homelessness.
Read MoreCamden resident Mark Hopkins grew up in an abusive household and was incarcerated as a young man. He graduated from Rutgers, where he was a prominent student activist.
Read MoreMonroe Township residents Bill and Rose Morgan lived modestly while working stable jobs throughout their adulthood. They’re struggling to make ends meet in retirement, in large part due to skyrocketing health-care costs.
Read MoreHighland Park resident Lizette Thomas works two jobs and lives paycheck to paycheck. She cares for her teenage son, who has autism, and her mother, who has many health-care needs.
Read MoreOld Bridge resident Douglas Wilson ran a catering business that shut down in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. He’s experienced food insecurity and went back to school a year ago to pursue his bachelor’s degree.
Read MoreDebra Oliveda works for a grassroots nonprofit that doesn’t provide guaranteed hours. Unable to afford her own apartment, she’s been couch surfing for a year.
Read MoreFormerly the executive assistant to the president and CEO of a nonprofit, Damica was incarcerated for seven months and lost her job and all of her savings. After her release, it took her four months to find a new job.
Read MoreChristopher Etienne was incarcerated as a young man. He later earned two undergraduate degrees from Rutgers and his master’s from Columbia.
Read MoreChristine Barilka is raising four of her grandchildren with her husband. She experiences food insecurity and steep health-care costs.
Read MoreNewark resident Christian Rodriguez is a community organizer with a master’s in business who lives paycheck to paycheck.
Read MoreProspect Park resident Mohammad Chowdhury graduated from Rutgers and has significant student-loan debt. He works as a business analyst and was previously unemployed for a year.
Read MoreBorn in Moscow, New Brunswick resident Alexander Lewis has lived paycheck to paycheck and experienced homelessness. He works in journalism and is hoping to go back to college.
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