IT'S 1 A.M. THE BARS ALONG VENICE BEACH IN LOS ANGELES HAVE JUST SHUT DOWN. AND ROGELIO GARCIA PICKS THROUGH WHAT'S LEFT. THE GARBAGE TRUCKS WILL BE HERE SOON, SO HE AND WIFE YOLANDA HAVE TO HURRY TO STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF OTHERS WHO ARE SCRATCHING OUT THEIR OWN AMERICAN DREAMS, A FEW CENTS AT A TIME.

THEY GET HELP FROM THE BARTENDER AT THE TOWN HOUSE TAVERN.

Steve Wark, Bartender: "They're here every day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, always here."

Rogelio Garcia: "We work 13, 14 hours every day."

ROGELIO AND YOLANDA HAVE BEEN MARRIED 20 YEARS. SHE'S CLEANED HOMES AND WORKED IN A FACTORY. HE WAS A DISHWASHER, THEN A MEAT CUTTER. BUT HE WAS LAID OFF EIGHT YEARS AGO, AND STARTED HUNTING FOR WHAT OTHERS THREW AWAY. IN THIS WAY, HE COULD WORK WHILE HIS THREE YOUNG CHILDREN SLEPT. THERE WAS NO THOUGHT THAT LIFE OWED HIM ANYTHING MORE.

THEY EARN ABOUT $15,000 A YEAR, FAR BELOW POVERTY LEVEL. BUT THEY STILL FIND A WAY TO CHANGE THE FUTURE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

Rogelio Garcia Jr.: "My name is Rogelio Garcia and I'm a college student."

HE'S A STUDENT AT M.I.T. IN BOSTON.

Adrianne Garcia, daughter: "Adrianne Garcia and I'm a college student."

SHE'S AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-RIVERSIDE. THE GARCIAS RENT THIS ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR $500 A MONTH. THAT'S ABOUT 16,000 CANS.THEN THEY HAVE TO COLLECT ANOTHER 12,000 SO THEY CAN SEND $200 DOLLARS A MONTH TO EACH CHILD AT COLLEGE.

Adrianne Garcia: " That's why they're doing it, so we don't have to do what they're doing."

THERE IS ONE MORE CHILD AT HOME, ANGEL. THEY WANT TO SEE HIM IN COLLEGE, TOO.

Rogelio Garcia Jr.: "They don't have to work as hard to get my little brother through. Because they helped me, I'm going to help him. I'll do whatever is possible."