On today’s episode of Growing Up in America, hosts Dr. Bob Sanborn and Brian Greene from the Houston Food Bank brought listeners an important conversation on poverty, health, equity, and the future of child welfare across Texas.

We began with Tre Maxie, Executive Director of Friends of the Children – Houston, who spoke on the realities of generational poverty and the long-term investments needed to break cycles and create brighter futures for kids.

Robin Mansur, CEO and President of the Houston Health Foundation, followed with a powerful reminder of how children’s dental and vision, can directly impact education. When untreated, these issues can lead to serious declines in learning and opportunity.

Our Dr. Data of the Day with Chris Kulesza highlighted the number 506. 506 is the total number of Texas schools that have moved to four-day school weeks, raising critical questions about the impact on students, families, and communities.

Cherry Steinwender, Executive Director of the Center for the Healing of Racism, then shared her wisdom on the barriers that often prevent open conversations about racism, and why listening and dialogue are essential to progress.

Closing the show, Christian Salas, Associate Professor of Social Work at El Paso Community College, discussed the state of child welfare in Texas and the El Paso area, emphasizing both the challenges and opportunities for supporting vulnerable children.

From poverty to health and equity education, today’s episode is a reminder that children’s futures are shaped by every layer of the systems around them.

This is Growing Up in America! Where data meets dialogue, and kids remain at the center of it all.