
Last month, the New York City Council launched a new version of a Guaranteed Income Program, with $1.5 million in city funds. The program will provide unconditional cash support to 161 pregnant women who are homeless, at risk of losing housing or facing domestic violence. Participants will receive a $2,500 stipend before giving birth, $1,000 per month for 15 months, and $500 per month for the following 21 months. New York City’s guaranteed income program is launching in a city where about one in four children live in poverty, and where more than 146,000 students experienced homelessness during the last school year, a record high. Supporters of the initiative say it’s both an anti-poverty measure and an attempt to reduce rates of maternal mortality, which disproportionately impact Black and Hispanic New Yorkers. “By investing in these families, we’re showing that we care about the future, and we want to make sure that everybody has the same opportunity to thrive,” said Council Member Crystal Hudson, who sponsored the bill.
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