The Royals moved to the eastern Upper Peninsula from Montana in January and will welcome their second child this summer.
When Melina Royal and her husband were searching for a place to settle down and raise a family, the soaring cost of housing in Montana pushed them to look east. What they found in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was more than just affordable land and natural beauty — it was a sense of community and unexpected support through a groundbreaking new program for families.
Royal, who moved from Kalispell, Montana, to Mackinac County in January, is now one of the first participants in the eastern Upper Peninsula’s Rx Kids program, a cash prescription program for new and expectant mothers in several communities in Michigan. In March, the program expanded to Luce, Mackinac, Alger, Schoolcraft, and Chippewa counties in the eastern Upper Peninsula. The eastern U.P. version of the program provides families with a $1,500 payment during pregnancy and $500 per month throughout the baby’s first six months of life.
“I love it here,” Royal said of her new home nestled between Germfask and Curtis. “It’s a completely different kind of beauty. And the people — they care so much for each other. It’s been really special to have more of a personal connection, even with strangers.”
Royal, who is 28 weeks pregnant with her second child, said she learned about Rx Kids after a visit to the WIC office in Newberry.
“The ladies working there told me, ‘It sounds crazy, but it’s essentially just free cash for moms,’” she said. “I filled out the form, and it was so easy. I was blown away by how this is available to everyone.”
The first prenatal payment from Rx Kids helped Royal and her husband take on a long-needed renovation in their century-old home. With the master bedroom of their home, where the kids will sleep, frequently about 15 degrees colder than the rest of the house, the couple used the funds to improve insulation in the room before the new baby arrives this summer, in preparation for northern Michigan’s notoriously frigid winters.
“It’s been a big stressor,” Royal said. “We’re going to have a newborn soon, and then another winter. It’s important for us to make sure they’re warm and in a safe environment. Rx Kids gave us the ability to tackle that without worrying how we were going to afford it.”
Royal, a former filmmaker and writer who is now a full-time homemaker and mother to her one-year-old daughter Evelyn, said the flexibility of the program has also given her the chance to invest in her health. “I wasn’t able to nurse my daughter, so I’m looking into some herbal supplements this time,” she said. “They’re really expensive, and it’s been huge to have peace of mind to actually buy the things I feel I need.”
Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, said stories like Royal’s illustrate the transformative potential of the program — not only for families but for communities across the state.
“Rx Kids is more than a lifeline for new parents — it’s also a way to show families considering moving to places like the eastern Upper Peninsula that Michigan is a state that cares,” Dr. Mona said. “We’re investing in babies, in families, and in the future of Michigan’s communities.”
For Royal, the support has gone beyond the financial. It’s the sense of dignity and care she’s experienced that’s left a lasting impression.
“There are no strings attached, no judgment,” she said. “Every single person I’ve worked with through Rx Kids has been amazing. They actually care for you as a person and want to help you. That’s really big.”
As she and her husband prepare for the arrival of their second child, Royal said they feel more settled, supported, and hopeful in their new home.
“This program isn’t just about money,” she said. “It’s about being seen and supported during one of the most vulnerable times in your life. That makes all the difference.”