$1K Monthly Payments To Pregnant Philadelphians Eyed Under New Program

PHILADELPHIA — Pregnant Philadelphians could get $1,000 a month thanks to a new pilot program in the city.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health said contributions from the William Penn Foundation and Spring Point Partners will help provide a monthly guaranteed income for about 250 pregnant Philadelphians.

Guaranteed income for these residents is aimed at reducing racial disparities in birth outcomes.

This income is no-strings-attached and allows them the freedom to use the cash as they determine to best address their needs.

To be eligible for the Philly Joy Bank pilot, residents must be pregnant, have a household income of less than $100,000 per year annually, and live in one of the three Philly neighborhoods with the highest rates of very low birth weight: Cobbs Creek, Strawberry Mansion, Nicetown-Tioga.

The program is called "Philly Joy Bank."

The Philly Joy Bank is a pilot program of the Philadelphia Community Action Network, a collective impact stakeholder group focused on reducing racial disparities in infant mortality.

"Infant mortality in Philadelphia is a solvable crisis," said Health commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole. "We know that being able to better support pregnant people and new parents helps keep babies alive. As the poorest big city in the country, this is not always easy, especially in areas of the city that are being crushed by generational poverty and systemic racism. The Philly Joy Bank draws on the successes of other no-strings-attached guaranteed income projects to help break those cycles. We could not be more pleased to have generous donors like the William Penn Foundation and Spring Point Partners helping to kick start this wonderful program."

According to the health department, Philadelphia has the highest rate of infant mortality in the first year of life out of the top ten most populated US cities.

When breaking down the data by race and ethnicity, black infants in Philly are more than four times more likely to die before their first birthday than white infants.

The Philly Joy Bank is one of the first guaranteed income during pregnancy pilots.

The Health Department said it believes that giving cash during and immediately after pregnancy is a promising approach to addressing these racial disparities and improving birth outcomes.

In addition to the guaranteed income, program participants will also be offered voluntary support such as benefits and financial counseling, home visiting, lactation support, and doulas.

From the generous contributions of the William Penn Foundation and Spring Point Partners, the Health Department has received over $3 million to support the Philly Joy Bank.

The City hopes to reach a fundraising goal of $6 million and launch the program in early 2024.

Learn more about Philly Joy Bank online here.