Indianapolis Shows Its Decency

 Usually, I am critical of my home state. Not so today. Today, we show our decency - the kindness, respect, care - for those less fortunate.

Indy is giving 100 moms $20k each to support their birth journeys  (Mirror Indy)

After you give birth, more cash is on the way each month: $750 for the first 15 months of the baby’s life, and $375 for the following 21 months. Over the course of three years, you receive about $20,000 to support your family.

For 100 moms in Indianapolis, this is about to be a reality.

Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration is launching the BIRTH Fund, a program supporting pregnant mothers living in ZIP codes with the city’s highest infant mortality rates. To qualify for the payments, you must be:

• 18 or older
• 27 weeks pregnant at most
• Have a family income of $39,000 or less
• Live in the following ZIP codes: 46241, 46222, 46237, 46219, 46218, 46201 and 46235

Okay, it is not original, but what is? Considering the following numbers, it was indecent not to do something:

Studies show infant mortality rates are linked to poor nutrition, lack of access to prenatal care and doctors, systemic racism and poverty. In Indiana, Black babies are about twice as likely to die during birth or up to a year after.

“We have ZIP codes here where infant mortality is 200% higher than the national average,” Tapper told Mirror Indy. “About 1 in 5 children in Marion County are already living in poverty. It makes sense to put cash in the pockets of families that need it most.”

The fund is based on a national model from The Bridge Project, a nonprofit sending money to low-income mothers across the country. The group already has active programs in the Midwest, including Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin.

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