CAASNM, FYI Innovations Plus, and Jardin de los Niños partnered to create a cash support demonstration program called Family Prosperity. The program now provides $500 over 18 months—no strings attached–to 150 randomly selected Las Cruces families. Eligibility was based on income, single-caregiver family that has at least one child under the age of 16 living in the home, and that the home is located within the City of Las Cruces. Special emphasis has been given to families living in distressed census tracks; however, all residents who met the eligibility criteria had an opportunity to be selected. An outside partner randomly selected 150 prequalified families to receive these benefits.
In 2022, a small Family Prosperity Program was launched in Hatch, NM, with support from the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico and other funders. Currently, 12 families are in the active group (receiving $500 a month), and 12 families are in the comparison group (receiving $25-$50 per survey). The families are sharing amazing success stories!
Hatch participant, Bertha said “This help I have been getting has helped me so much, at first I was not earning enough money at my job to keep up with my bills and rent. Then I lost my job, my kids and I would be homeless without the help. I want to thank everyone involved with this program.”
Hatch mom, Vanessa, could only find part-time work in the small community and was barely able to provide for basic needs for her and her small son. She used her Family Prosperity cash support to create and open a business.
Thanks to the City of Las Cruces, we received $1.7 million of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 money to expand and launch the program to people living in Las Cruces on July, 2023.
The program is being evaluated in partnership with New Mexico State University’s Crimson Research. Chosen individuals in the active group as well as the comparison group complete regular surveys and questionnaires to aid in evaluation. The goal is to evaluate how unrestricted cash support affects quality-of-life, education, employment, childcare, and physical and mental health.
Research has shown that when people are given unrestricted cash payments, they are able to pull themselves out of poverty, plan for the future, and create stability for themselves and their families (Economic Security Project, 2019). Family Prosperity will give recipients more freedom, dignity and self-determination to make choices for their financial well-being.
CAASNM is grateful for major support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico for the study conducted in Hatch. Further funding for the large-scale project was provided by the City of Las Cruces ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) funding.
