Date: August 27, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Erika Whitehead
ewhitehead@kalfound.org
(269) 585.7251
Jill Vondrasek
Vondras4@msu.edu
(810) 600.9185
Kalamazoo Announces Groundbreaking Prescription Cash Program for Expectant Mothers and Birthing Individuals, Launching 2025
Kalamazoo, Mich. – Kalamazoo Rx Kids, the City of Kalamazoo’s first-ever cash prescription program for expectant mothers and infants, will launch in 2025. The program, which is an expansion of Flint Rx Kids and a statewide program, will provide a no-strings-attached cash prescription of $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 each month for the first year of a baby’s life. Using the well-documented success of the expanded Child Tax Credit as a blueprint along with global and national evidence, Rx Kids is improving health, hope and opportunity for families during pregnancy and infancy.
“Rx Kids boldly reimagines how we support our families and babies,” said Dr. Mona Hanna, pediatrician, director of Rx Kids and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine associate dean of public health. “Kalamazoo has a long history of prioritizing and understanding that healthy children are vital to a healthy community. Launching this program will have an immediate and tangible positive impact on the entire Kalamazoo community.”
Built on the tremendous success of Rx Kids in the City of Flint, which launched in January 2024, the City of Kalamazoo was selected as an expansion site. A group of community leaders began meeting in early 2024 to learn about the public health model, with momentum building as $20 million in TANF funds were allocated towards expanding the public-private partnership program in the 2025 State of Michigan budget. With a funding goal of over $5 million per year, approximately $1.4 million of TANF funds per year will be leveraged for Kalamazoo’s program.
In May, Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KZCF) made the inaugural pledge of $500,000, followed by investments from United Way of South Central Michigan, Bronson Health Foundation and, most recently, a significant $5 million investment from Stryker Johnston Foundation. Thus, the first year of the planned five-year Kalamazoo Rx Kids program is fully funded.
“This generous investment from Stryker Johnston Foundation has brought the expansion of Rx Kids to Kalamazoo, and we will continue to invite local funders and donors to join us in our commitment to making our community the most equitable place to grow a family,” said Alyssa Stewart, chief community impact officer at KZCF.
The successful launch of Kalamazoo Rx Kids will ensure that the over 800 babies expected to be born to residents in the City in 2025 and their families will receive cash prescriptions to help offset the significant cost of having a baby and increase their access to vital early childhood development resources. According to a survey conducted by YWCA Kalamazoo’s Research and Evaluation team in May, featuring currently pregnant home visitation program clients, additional money would help families stabilize their housing, purchase food and secure childcare and reliable transportation.
“Research shows that young children are uniquely impacted by poverty, specifically children born to single-parent households,” said Jameca Patrick-Singleton, executive director of Cradle Kalamazoo and vice president of community health for YWCA Kalamazoo. “Rx Kids has already demonstrated its impact in Flint by increasing access to resources desperately needed by young children. I am excited to think about the significant impact that it will have on children in Kalamazoo.”
In August, Flint Rx Kids released early survey results. More than 112 families report improved health care utilization, financial security and parenting confidence.
"The financial burdens on moms, parents and families during the first year of a child’s life are immense,” said Hanna. “Cash prescriptions help fill immediate needs, like securing stable housing or transportation for health care utilization, assistance with vital household expenses like food and utilities, and being able to think toward the future to ensure babies have the best start at life – not just to survive but thrive.”
Fundraising efforts are ongoing to fund the second year of the program and beyond. Community members interested in supporting Kalamazoo Rx Kids can visit kalfound.org/rx-kidskalamazoo. Additional information about the program launch and enrollment will be available in the coming months.
About Rx Kids
Led by the MSU-Hurley Pediatric Public Health Initiative, the University of Michigan Poverty Solutions, and GiveDirectly, Rx Kids is the first citywide universal maternal and infant cash prescription program in the country. Launched in the City of Flint in January 2024, the program is an expanding and collaborative effort involving parents, community organizations, and national experts. Demonstrating how targeted financial support can drive significant improvements in public health and economic outcomes, Rx Kids aims to eliminate infant poverty through a public-private partnership throughout Michigan and the United States.
About Kalamazoo Community Foundation
KZCF, established in 1925, has the vision of Kalamazoo County being the most equitable place to live, with the mission to mobilize people, resources and expertise and to advance racial, social and economic justice. Learn more at kalfound.org.
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