Thank you for the free book, @randomhouse!

Through immersive journalism, Sandler followed Camila, a brand-new mother who is homeless in New York. Camila is resourceful and knows all the ins-and-outs of the government systems that are in place to help the homeless population, but as she continually finds out, there's more red tape at every turn. She spends hours, days, and weeks just trying to find the answers she needs to secure a home for her and her son, only to be turned down because she lacks a simple document.

She wants a better life for her and her son, but our government programs do not make it easy, even for a motivated person. Parts of this book really reminded me of Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land. She was also highly motivated and well-versed in the system, yet found poverty a hard hole to dig out of.

Lauren Sandler did a great job of providing the story of Camila and her son, Alonso, while also giving the reader facts and information about the current homeless crisis in New York.

Camila is a "character" that is so easy to like as you struggle through along with her.  The author does an excellent job of portraying the difficulties of "professional distance" between journalist and subject.  It makes you want to both rescue and lecture the poor girl with all the tools, but none of the support she needs to get where she has the potential to go.

This book is a real eye-opener and everyone could benefit from reading it. It is a smooth read and follows the life of a young mother as she attempts to navigate the system in New York City. Her attempts to ensure housing and food for herself and her child are filled with stumbling blocks and the reader gets a very personal view of just how broken our system is. Where do we go from here?

This book literally has touched so many lives that I can't begin to tell you how crucial a novel this truly is for everyone to read.
First, I'm in extreme poverty after divorcing a malignant narcissist in which my 3 kids and self were left bankrupt, homeless, and LT unemployed after giving up career to further his own.
No income, no assets, no savings & while locked in is not how I expected to be with a dual masters.
What's worse is the commentary from those meant to help. Get a job, plenty of them out there, pull up your bootstraps, she must be lazy, uneducated, on drugs, a baby momma who just wants handouts.
I'm also a Points of Light Awardee (courtesy of our 41st President of the USA), the former top producer in 2 departments & associate of the month at Lord and Taylor distribution center (when I did work years ago prior to raising 3 kids solo), they have no concept that jobs for women pay less than poverty and in fact I proved it with this article which in PA is $6.53 difference https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/states-welfare-recipients-paid-more-minimum-wage.html/
Those who think you just get a job have zero idea of the past 10 years of job searches in which I'm told to dummy down, overqualified, lack prior work experience, and then leave me in the hallways or lobbies as they go to meetings and ignore my pleas for employment. In my state of Pa we have highest gas tax, highest education costs, with a federal min wage that is 25% less than their counterparts from 48 years ago https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/states-welfare-recipients-paid-more-minimum-wage.html/
They say just move if you have difficulty in employment yet they don't understand the legal system much less the child support options available to single moms. I had to chase my ex spouse for over a year and a 1/2 for my 1st payment of $100 for a family of four. This after living a year and 1/2 off credit, eating at food banks and soup kitchens, and yes even local libraries, playgrounds, and gyms.
I was on a wait list for over 2 yrs for housing (Section 8) and EBT as it's not just a fill out and receive.
The myths surrounding food insecurities and poverty are enormous and wide lasting and have gone on for far too long. 
In fact my own President of the Al Beech WestSide food bank explains the issues we face daily in this TedX video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HakCAdPrlms&feature=emb_logo
I've also told my story via Rosa DeLauro on deaf ears to every member of Congress through Community Voices a program by the Poverty to Prosperity Program which you can view on pg 38 here: https://d3b0lhre2rgreb.cloudfront.net/ms-content/uploads/sites/9/2015/10/07191013/CommunityVoices-web-003.pdf
I've also worked on the direct front line of services to the impoverished and I know the reality even as I live it.
So, yes what you'll read here is exactly my own experiences and I'll be more than happy to back them up.
Poverty as the author illustrates is viewed as an individual rather than a system wide failure. It turns into a blame, shame, fault ridden game rather than a helpful offer to assist with empathy, compassion, concern, and good tidings.
"Public assistance is a shrinking and denied entitlement. Housing has ultimately become an unchecked market."
As we discussed Camila's future we learn she had ambitions that faltered after constraints placed upon her by the very system meant to help resulting in her criminal justice career (which I have my masters in both CJ and Public Admin.) on hold to become a dishwasher (which may be my demise).
"We are defined by who we deem worthy of investment, as an economy as well as an ethical society. Today we are failing ourselves on both counts."
"We are ruled by money. This America has gone upside down."
"Every year with no end in sight, wealth consolidates and poverty expands."
"Curiosity takes courage-that's why people protect themselves from truths they fear will speak discomfort or guilt."
"Blindness is easier. That blindness is complicity." 
"We must first look at each other in order to look after each other."

A heart wrenching eye opening look at the life of a young mother Camila caught in poverty living in a shelter .Camila is a bright strong young mother caring for her child trying to find housing ;daycare food.Mostly abandoned by her birth family she mother’s her child goes to school constantly going to welfare offices looking for shelter.
The author meets her at the shelter and forms a connection with her becomes like family to her introduces her to her husband and child who also embrace he.r The author follows along to all the appointments is there to observe her day to day experiences.
This is not a fairytale she does not have the perfect ending.I could not stop reading this involving real life exposee of a life in the welfare system. # netgalley#randomhouse