Pontiac mom Noorah Khalid with baby Amelia.
For Pontiac mom Noorah Khalid, welcoming a new baby came with both joy and responsibility. A mother of four, Khalid has spent the last eight years building a life for her family in Pontiac after growing up in Detroit — balancing the daily demands of parenting with the financial realities that come with raising children.
“I love being a mom,” Khalid said. “My favorite part is helping shape my kids into the best versions of themselves.”
When she’s not caring for her children, she enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and swimming, baking cookies together, and playing games as a family.
Khalid is currently a stay-at-home mom and licensed realtor. Before entering real estate, she worked for five years as a certified nursing assistant, caring for patients as they recovered and regained their health.
“That journey (taking care of people) helped me grow as a woman and as a mother,” she said.
During her most recent pregnancy, Khalid enrolled in Rx Kids, a program that provides direct cash support to families during pregnancy and the first six months of a child’s life. Rx Kids launched in Pontiac in May of 2025, just before baby Amelia was born. For Khalid, the support arrived at exactly the right time.
“The program helped my family get back on track and gave us a real sense of comfort while we were preparing to welcome our youngest daughter,” she said. “It lifted a lot of stress off our plate.”
As a mom of four, financial pressures are constant. “Being a mom of four isn’t cheap,” Khalid said. “Having that extra support made a meaningful difference for my family.”
Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, said stories like Khalid’s reflect the purpose of the program.
“Whether you’re a first-time mom or welcoming another baby, pregnancy and infancy can be both exciting and challenging seasons for families,” Hanna said. “Rx Kids exists to provide comfort and stability during this critical time, so parents can focus on their health and their baby’s wellbeing.”
Early findings from Rx Kids show that providing cash during pregnancy is associated with earlier and more consistent prenatal care, including higher rates of first-trimester care and sustained engagement throughout pregnancy — key factors for healthy births and maternal wellbeing. Additional analyses suggest the program strengthens local economies by increasing household income and supporting jobs. Research has also linked Rx Kids participation to greater civic engagement, including higher voter participation and increased trust in government, while families report improved stability, fewer financial emergencies, lower eviction risk, and better maternal mental health.
Since launching in Pontiac, Rx Kids has prescribed nearly $1.8 million in cash support to more than 500 families, with more than 400 babies born to enrolled participants. Across all Rx Kids communities, the program has delivered more than $21 million in cash prescriptions, supporting nearly 5,000 families and welcoming nearly 4,000 babies.
Khalid hopes other moms will have the chance to experience the same relief she felt. “I want more mothers to have that sense of support and peace,” she said. “It truly makes a difference.”
