San Francisco’s Guaranteed Basic Income program for pregnant black women is expanding to four California counties next year through state funding.
The city announced The Abundant Birth Project received a $5 million grant from the California Department of Human Services on Tuesday to bring the program to 425 additional mothers and “parents in childbirth” in Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles and Riverside counties. The program will continue in San Francisco.
The Abundant Birth Project, run by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, began in June 2021, offering monthly payments of $1,000 over 12 months to 150 Black and Pacific Islanders.
In counties beyond San Francisco, beneficiaries will receive monthly income of $600 to $1,000 for 12 months.
“The Abundant Birth Project has proven its success in San Francisco and offers an innovative and equitable approach to addressing the disproportionate health impacts largely among Black families, which is why I have committed to investing $1.5 million in next two years to grow the program in our surrounding boroughs and counties,” Mayor London Breed (D) said on Tuesday.
File/Maile Chand (left to right) community researcher for the Abundant Birth Project, massages the legs of her daughter Melilani Scottís, 4, as they spend time on a rooftop in their apartment building Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty)
“We hope the Abundant Birth Project will serve as a model for addressing racial birth disparities across the region, state, and across the country,” Breed added.
The program begins early in pregnancy “to reduce racial birth disparities while relieving economic stress,” the city says. Additionally, the city adds that racism contributes to the poor health of Black and Pacific Islander mothers and babies.
“This funding will provide pregnant women with economic stability during this critical stage in their lives while enabling public health institutions to test a promising new public health intervention,” said Dr. Zea Malawa, director of Expecting Justice, program partners.
This isn’t the first far-left Guaranteed Basic Income program the Democrat-controlled city has instituted.
Last month, the city announced it would begin a guaranteed income program for trans people that would “provide low-income transgender residents $1,200 a month, for up to 18 months.” according to to local ABC affiliate KGO. The program’s online application page includes 97 gender options, 19 sexual orientation options and 18 pronoun options, noted Breitbart News.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
Leave a Comment