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Rx Kids will give every new mom in Flint the freedom and flexibility to raise their babies while paying the bills and putting food on the table. It will give every child born in Flint a fair shot at a bright future. We know that growing up in poverty is one of the leading causes of poor health, impacting everything from your ability to learn in school, graduate, and get a good-paying job. Rx Kids is an investment that will benefit the entire community. We know that happy, healthy babies become happier, healthier adults.
Gretchen WhitmerMichigan Governor
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Investing in strong families is an investment in Flint’s future. Rx Kids will support mothers and children in Flint when they are most vulnerable. This blessing will lift families out of poverty and improve health outcomes. Our prayer is that we will improve maternal and infant health and help Flint families raise strong, healthy babies.
Sheldon NeeleyCity of Flint Mayor
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When I study programs designed to lift (people) up, I want ones that really do just that. They must treat people with dignity and respect. They must provide real, tangible aid to those in need. And the bill must be one we can afford. I believe the state has uncovered just such a program in Rx Kids.
John DaMooseMichigan Senator
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I am a parent and citizen of the city of Flint who has been helping Dr. Mona for almost a year on Rx Kids. When she first introduced it to the group, I instantly knew that it would be a huge task to achieve. With consistency and committed effort, the impossible is becoming a reality for the kids and residents of the city of Flint.
Darwin HenceFlint Dad
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Countries across the globe have adopted unconditional child cash benefits and seen child poverty plummet and health improve, with some of the biggest impacts for infants. The historic 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit had the same effects in the U.S., but it was not renewed. Flint is leading the nation by building on this evidence and creating an easy-to-replicate playbook for how we care for our youngest kids.
H. Luke ShaeferRx Kids Co-Director and University of Michigan Poverty Solutions Director
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RxKids is living proof that now that Americans have seen what President Biden’s monthly Child Tax Credit did for dramatically lowering child poverty and lifting up all working families — there is no going back. With help from the American Rescue Plan, Governor Whitmer and Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley, RxKids is innovating on and expanding the Child Tax Credit for the all-important first year of life for children born in Flint. Instead of being a one and done pilot, I believe that RxKids is going to be a national model that will be replicated across the nation.
Gene SperlingFormer Senior Advisor to the President and American Rescue Plan Coordinator
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This is transformational work that will change the trajectory for children and families positively for generations to come. We wholeheartedly support this life-changing and life-affirming work.
Claudnyse D. Holloman, Esq.President and CEO, Voices for Children Advocacy Center
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Rx Kids is just the right solution to our city’s needs. When moms and babies are supported, we uplift a community village and help the next generations for years to come.
Shearese StapletonMothers of Joy Institute for Parenting and Family Wellness, Inc. Executive Director
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Poverty is one of the persistent social determinants of health that families face. For an impoverished family to have this financial opportunity, it can lead to a decrease in stress, depression, and anxiety, which are also social determinants of health. Another positive outcome for Flint families is an elevation of self-esteem because they are now financially abundant and responsible.
Alison Montgomery-LittlejohnFlint Social Worker
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Rx Kids is a pediatrician’s dream come true.
Dr. Lawrence ReynoldsRetired Flint Pediatrician, CHAP Medical Director
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Rx Kids will be a game changer for our patients.
Dr. Omari YoungHurley Medical Center Obstetrics And Gynecology Residency Director
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If a couple is considering whether or not to have children and the financial hardship is part of that calculation, this program (Rx Kids) can offset those concerns and give people hope that they can indeed afford to have more children and raise a family.
Ed McBroomMichigan Senator
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Rx Kids is an innovative program that is transforming countless lives across Michigan, putting money back in people's pockets, and making a difference. We know that to take care of children, we need to take care of the adults that take care of children. So we're not just putting money in people's pockets. We believe we're opening the door for more opportunities for generations of people. I know that a lot of other communities across the state and across the nation are taking notice.
Garlin Gilchrist IIMichigan Lieutenant Governor
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By providing families with infants the financial resources for essentials like cribs and car seats, we are setting them up for better health outcomes.
Austin LowesChairman, Sault Tribe
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Alleviating some of the financial burden that comes with the birth of a child is invaluable to families; it is so exciting to be part of this movement to support moms and babies!
Karen SenkusHealth Officer, Chippewa County Health Department
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Rx Kids will serve as a powerful tool that we can put directly in the hands of Kalamazoo residents to reduce infant mortality rates and help our babies grow up.
Jameca Patrick-SingletonExecutive Director, Cradle Kalamazoo & Vice President of Community Health, YWCA Kalamazoo
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We are inspired by the intentional design of Rx Kids and the values of love, trust, and dignity it is built upon. Its universal approach acknowledges the simple truth that having a baby is expensive and that every growing family and every baby can benefit from extra support during pregnancy and the first year of life.
Alyssa StewartChief Community Impact Officer, Kalamazoo Community Foundation
