4th Trimester is a proud member of the Mother + Infant Cash Coalition (MICC), a national coalition advocating for unconditional cash assistance to support pregnant and postpartum people. As we prepare for the launch of RISE—Resources for Income, Shelter, and Empowerment—we build towards stabilizing families during life’s most critical transitions. Our new pilot program centers exactly what we believe is vital for our families: cash. Direct cash assistance has repeatedly shown up as a tool that counters the generational effects of poverty and racism on pregnant people and their families, a pattern showing up site after site.
Across four MICC member organizations, including Abundant Birth Project, The Bridge Project, Healthy Beginnings, and The Nest, more than 900 pregnant and postpartum people have been supported by a “no strings attached” cash assistance program. Participants received on average $920 per month, which has helped families manage rising costs and reduce financial burdens. Nearly 60% of participants entered these programs with household incomes under $20,000 a year, and 77% relied on Medicaid. That’s exactly who bears the weight of an already expensive perinatal period.
Economic hardship during the perinatal period is closely linked to higher rates of maternal mortality, chronic disease, and poor mental health, with these outcomes concentrated disproportionately on Black families. For families in these programs, financial stability wasn’t abstract. It meant covering delivery costs that averaged $3,000 out of pocket for those without public insurance, and it meant support during exactly the gaps, like the 68% who couldn’t access paid leave, where existing systems fell short.
Cash assistance has also helped fill gaps in already existing financial assistance safety-net programs, which were found to be underutilized by families. 78% of participants used at least one public benefit like SNAP or WIC, yet only 32% used or planned to use paid leave, even though nearly all of them were covered by it. Participants noted administrative burden, documentation requirements, and income-based eligibility as common access barriers.
One Abundant Birth Project participant put it plainly: “I was denied leave by [the Employment Development Department]… So this money has been getting me by. Without it, I probably would have had to go back to work very, very early after [pregnancy] complications.” Direct cash meant she didn’t have to choose between healing and paying rent.
4th Trimester believes families know their own needs best. That’s why RISE pairs direct cash with the wraparound support we know works, the same model families relied on during our LA wildfire relief efforts. The data is clear, and so is the need. Will you join us in making stability a reality for single moms? Your gift today helps us get RISE off the ground and into the hands of the families who need it most.
