KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Expectant mothers in Kalamazoo will soon have access to a new program providing no-strings-attached cash during pregnancy and through the first year of the baby's life.
Kalamazoo Rx Kids is the city's first-ever cash prescription program, an expansion of Flint Rx Kids and a statewide program.
This new program, which launches in 2025 and is planned for five years, will provide expectant mothers with a $1,500 no-strings-attached cash prescription during their pregnancy as well as $500 a month during the first year of the baby's life.
“Rx Kids boldly reimagines how we support our families and babies,” said Dr. Mona Hanna, pediatrician, director of Rx Kids and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine associate dean of public health. “Kalamazoo has a long history of prioritizing and understanding that healthy children are vital to a healthy community. Launching this program will have an immediate and tangible positive impact on the entire Kalamazoo community.”
The expansion into Kalamazoo is built on the success of the program in Flint, where it was piloted in 2024. The initial program in Flint is also being touted as the nation's first citywide maternal and infant cash prescription program.
A release in Aug. 14 claimed that Flint's program prescribed over $2 million to more than 900 mothers, reaching almost every 2024 newborn in the City of Flint. More than 112 families also reported improved healthcare utilization, financial security and parenting confidence, according to a survey.
“The benefits of providing economic security to families with young children are built on mountains and mountains of research. It’s the evidence-based policy of evidence-based policies,” said Dr. Hanna. “Building on this evidence, it is exciting to be able to share some of these first findings from Rx Kids. To no surprise, the results are awesome and further validate the impact of Rx Kids.”
Kalamazoo was selected as the expansion city for the program in early 2024 and already raised enough funding to run the program for its first year in 2025.
The funding goal of $5 million per year includes $1.4 million annually from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families fund, a $5 million investment from the Stryker Johnston Foundation, a $500,000 inaugural pledge from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and other investments from United Way of South Central Michigan and Bronson Health Foundation.
With those investments, the first year of the Kalamazoo Rx Kids program is fully funded. But, with additional funding needed for later years, donations to the program are being accepted here.
“This generous investment from Stryker Johnston Foundation has brought the expansion of Rx Kids to Kalamazoo, and we will continue to invite local funders and donors to join us in our commitment to making our community the most equitable place to grow a family,” said Alyssa Stewart, chief community impact officer at KZCF.
The five-year Kalamazoo Rx Kids program will launch in January 2025. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation said additional information about the launch and enrollment will be available in the coming months. Learn more about the program here.
