PARENTS are receiving cash sums of up to $20,000 in a “liberating” program with no strings attached.
The Bridge Project, a New York-based initiative, is helping pregnant women start their families, with millions of dollars of investment promised in the next three years.
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A total of $10million has been set aside for the project which is set to expand into Appalachia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.
Stay-at-home mom Justine Daros, 36, based in North Carolina, received help from The Bridge Project.
She gave birth to her son, Antillo, during a strict COVID lockdown at the age of 32, and credits the program with making her a better parent.
Justine said: “Having the autonomy to make the choices that I deemed appropriate for my family was liberating.
“I also had a little more leeway when it came to what I could do for myself.
“Because you always have to take care of yourself.”
She was able to find The Bridge Project by working with local programs to try to improve her life and transition to motherhood.
Executive Director Laura Clancy said: “Our founders really cared a lot about supporting infants during the early parts of the COVID crisis.”
The scheme is providing financial support to 1,250 Appalachian mothers while researching the effects of direct cash payments on maternal and child health.
The program has supported mothers in New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Milwaukee and statewide in Connecticut.
The expansion into Appalachia will target 500 in a “high cash” group receiving the typical program benefits.
An additional 750 in a “low cash” group will be compensated for participating in research surveys and interviews.
Eligible pregnant women will receive between $375 and $750 monthly, with participants receiving over $20,000 throughout the program.
This works out to $750 per month for the first 15 months of program participation and $375 per month for the remaining 21 months of program participation.
There is also a one-time up-front $1,125 included.
To be eligible, participants must live within the states of Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, be 18 or older, have an annual household income of less than $44,000 and be 14 weeks pregnant or less.
The programme aims to reduce poverty in Appalachia.
The Appalachian Regional Commission reports that 19 per cent of children in Appalachia live in poverty and that food insecurity affects one in six.
This exceeds the national average by 16 per cent.
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Data gathered from The Bridge Project’s previous cohorts has shown that the benefits of providing unconditional cash include allowing moms to better afford child care, decreasing stress and creative a positive effect on employment.
Lida Shepherd serves as program director for the West Virginia Economic Justice Project.
Linda commented: “We have a very rich and celebrated history of not just hard-working people, but really looking out for one another.
“The reality, too is that we have a lot of people who are living on the brink and kids slipping into poverty.
“Programs like this … just really create economic opportunity for people and give families in Appalachia the financial freedom they deserve.
“People understand that babies haven’t done anything wrong.
“Babies need food, and shelter, and clothes and diapers, and moms make really good decisions.”
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