By Tegan Lecheler, National Program Manager, The Bridge Project Follow Tegan on LinkedIn
The Bridge Project seeks to end child poverty in the United States by supporting low-income mothers with direct cash beginning in pregnancy and continuing through their child’s first 1,000 days of life. Because of the rapid brain and social-emotional development that happens in one’s earliest years, supporting healthy bonding and development during this crucial period results in the largest benefit to the individuals and to society. 1,400 mothers and babies are currently receiving cash from The Bridge Project, and they'll be adding 2,500 more moms to the program across Connecticut and Appalachian Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia over the next six months. In addition to giving cash, The Bridge Project conducts research to better understand the ways that unconditional cash affects maternal and infant physical and mental health as well as food security, housing security, and education attainment.
Cash allowances offer mothers the ability to save, acquire new training leading to higher income, secure new jobs, or create safer environments for their children by planning to buy a house. As they explained, financial support can help mothers get back on their feet,
strive, and plan a better future for their children.
“This program allowed me to stay home during the week to study, take care of my baby, and go to nursing school during the weekend. I am almost done and hope to make better money in the future. It was a massive blessing.
“It [Bridge project] has impacted my child’s future because I was able to save and not struggle daily.”
“I have been able to breastfeed for over a year because I could stay home to care for my baby. With my first child, I was so stressed I had to go back to work that I couldn’t breastfeed for too long.”
Already, The Bridge Project has found that after just one year in the program, 63% of mothers living in transitional shelter had secured stable housing, there was a 53% increase in food security, and a 63% increase in accessing child care.
Applications for the Appalachian program available to Ohio moms will open this fall!