New program offers assistance to pregnant moms
A new program provided by the Appalachian Regional Commission is offering pregnant women in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky three years of unconditional cash assistance. Tuscarawas County is one of 32 counties in Ohio selected to be part of the program called The Bridge Project.
Natalie Aubihl, program administrator at Tuscarawas County Job & Family Services, said while the TBP is not being administered by JFS, she is aware of the program and its parameters.
“While we do not qualify or select the mothers, we can help them understand what is offered and how to apply,” Aubihl said.
Selected mothers will receive consistent cash assistance with no strings attached for three years. To qualify for the program, applicants must meet the following requirements:
—Be at least 18 years of age.
—Be 14 weeks pregnant or less.
—Have an annual household income under $44,000.
—Live in an ARC-designated county (Tuscarawas County is designated).
Five-hundred women out of those who apply will then be selected by lottery. Those chosen will receive a one-time, upfront prenatal stipend of $1,125 to use any way they see fit. During their pregnancy and throughout the child’s first three years of life, mothers also will receive $750 per month for 15 months and $375 for the remaining 21 months.
According to Aubihl, the need is great. “Statistics we’ve received from the State of Ohio for 2024 show the population of Tuscarawas County is approximately 93,000 with a poverty rate of 11.3%.”
That’s just slightly higher than the national rate of 11.1%.
TBP says that adds up to one in every five children in the United States living in poverty. They also said 56% of families in the U.S. cannot afford a $1,000 emergency.
“I remember a supervisor that I had very early on instilled that we are all just one paycheck or one catastrophe away from sitting on the other side of this desk,” Aubihl said. “We’re here to serve the community and make sure people are aware of the programs that are available to help them.”
No restrictions on how the money is spent
“This cash can be spent on whatever the mother decides is needed to keep her and her baby healthy and stable for the first three of the child’s life,” Aubihl said, “whether it’s food, formula, rent, child care, diapers or anything needed. I think this is a wonderful program that will help low-income women potentially become self-sufficient.”
Aubihl said JFS offers assistance through Ohio’s Women, Infants and Children program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“WIC helps, but there are restrictions, and SNAP can only be used for food,” Aubihl said. “That’s what’s so awesome about this program. Women can truly spend the money in whatever way they see fit.”
Language on TBP website explains further, urging people to move away from the narrative that low-income families can’t be trusted to make their own spending decision. Instead, they argue unconditional cash empowers families to choose what is best, given their circumstances.
Why the first three years?
“Their research shows that the first 1,000 days of an infant’s life are critical in establishing a foundation for the rest of their lives,” Aubihl said.
According to TBP, those days and particularly the first 36 months of a child’s life are the time when it is possible to allow an entire generation to separate from the cycle of poverty and tap into better social and economic opportunities.
The organization points to studies showing childhood poverty can leave children disadvantaged both cognitively and psychologically. They claim later interventions are likely to be less successful and can be entirely ineffective at reversing the mental, emotional and physical harm done to babies and children in low-income families.
How to apply
Applications must be completed at www.bridgeproject.org/apply. Applicants should click the Apply Here box below the heading, Appalachia. The site provides a list of accepted documents for verification, along with additional information on the program. Interested parties should apply as soon as possible because the program will end after 500 women have been selected.