National Book Club – Spring 2026 – Session 3

The new National CASA/GAL Book Club selection is Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond.

In Poverty, by America, Desmond challenges the notion that poverty is inevitable, revealing how it is actively produced and sustained by systems, policies, and everyday choices. With clarity and urgency, the book asks readers to examine who benefits from poverty in the United States—and what responsibility we share in ending it. Grounded in research and lived experience, the book calls for collective action and moral reckoning, making it a powerful selection for advocates committed to children and families.

Join us for a series of facilitated discussions beginning March 11, 2026, with sessions held at 10am PT | 1pm ET and 1pm PT | 4pm ET, and continuing at the same times on April 1 and  April 15.

Register for the first discussion here:

10am PT | 1pm ET https://nationalcasagal.zoom.us/meeting/register/-bMhwAa4T7eU0_F8DOei4Q#/registration

1pm PT | 4pm ET https://nationalcasagal.zoom.us/meeting/register/Jv21Pc20RaWrx7OZZcCDCw#/registration

Discussion one will cover chapters 1-3. In these opening chapters, Desmond challenges common assumptions about poverty and reframes it as a systemic issue rooted in policy, power, and collective choices—not individual failure. Together, we’ll explore how poverty impacts children and families, why it persists in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and what this means for advocates working in child welfare.

Registration for the following discussions is available under meetings.