Close Up Radio features social worker Doris Iheagwam

Close Up Radio recently interviewed Brooklyn social worker and case manager Doris Iheagwam, who has worked in community and school-based services since 2003. The conversation highlighted her work with children, families, asylum seekers and people facing homelessness, along with the challenges of advocacy and trust-building in social services.

Why it matters: - Doris Iheagwam works with families facing homelessness, asylum, school enrollment barriers and other basic-needs crises. - Her work touches housing, education and mental health access, which can shape whether vulnerable clients stabilize or fall further behind. - The interview also puts a spotlight on the role social workers play in navigating systems for people with few other advocates.

What happened: - Close Up Radio featured Doris Iheagwam in an interview with Jim Masters on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 3 p.m. Eastern. - The segment framed Iheagwam as a social worker and case manager with a long record in community and school-based services. - The interview was described as a return engagement, with Iheagwam discussing her work and the pressures tied to it.

The details: - Iheagwam has worked in social services since 2003. - Her background includes a Master of Social Work from NYU and a Case 2 Management Certificate. - She said her interest in social work began in college at Brooklyn College after an introductory course set her career path in motion. - Iheagwam said values of service, respect and education were modeled in childhood by her parents. - Her employers have included The Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center Beacon Center, SKIP of New York, The Jewish Child Care Association and Homes for the Homeless. - Her duties have included home visits, service coordination, caseload management, and support for foster families and birth parents. - Iheagwam connects clients with mental health, housing and educational resources. - She also meets clients in hotels, shelters, schools and special sites for political asylees. - Iheagwam has worked with women clients, including single parents. - She said she has also supported clients dealing with homelessness and people seeking asylum in America. - A podcast replay is available on Apple Podcasts, iHeart and Spotify. - More information is available on Iheagwam’s LinkedIn page.

Between the lines: - Iheagwam’s comments frame social work as a mix of compassion and persistence inside a rigid system. - Her focus on women, single parents and asylum seekers suggests a caseload shaped by intersecting issues of poverty, family stability and immigration status. - The interview also reflects a broader trend in social services: workers are often asked to manage urgent needs while helping clients plan for long-term independence.

What's next: - Iheagwam said she will discuss systemic injustice, trust-building and some of the toughest cases she has handled in the podcast conversation. - She also plans to talk about the reward of following up and seeing clients thrive. - Close Up Radio and related podcast platforms are carrying the episode for listeners who missed the live interview.

The bottom line: - Iheagwam’s feature centers on the kind of behind-the-scenes social work that helps vulnerable families find housing, schooling and support when they need it most.