Throughout Springboard’s existence, staff members have sat down with residents to hear directly from low-income families what they need to successfully reach their goals. But through all the conversations, there was always a common theme: families need more cash. A minimum-wage job simply does not provide enough income to support a family, and the system for obtaining supplementary benefits is stressful, dehumanizing, and time-consuming. Our mission at Springboard is to help families reach their goals in life, work, and school, but often our families are so busy trying to survive that they do not have time to set those goals.
In the fall of 2018, Springboard To Opportunities announced The Magnolia Mother’s Trust, a new initiative that provides low-income, Black mothers in Jackson, Mississippi $1,000 cash on a monthly basis, no strings attached, for 12 months straight. While there have been several initiatives for a guaranteed income worldwide, this is the first that specifically targets extremely low-income families headed by a Black female living in affordable housing in the United States.
The initial pilot program consisted of 20 women and ran from December 2018-November 2019. The second cohort of The Magnolia Mother’s Trust began in March 2020 and grew to serve 110 women. The 3rd cohort began in April 2021 and included a more extensive evaluation that went beyond just proving that cash works to building a movement that is centered on dignity and deservedness for all, starting with Black women. This evaluation worked to ensure the voices of the mothers were front and center and their stories of increased confidence, self-worth, and being able to define motherhood and work on their own terms were the measures of success. Both a summary as well as the full report are available for download on this page.
The fourth cohort of mothers began in May 2022. While the structure of the program remains the same, we are continuing to elevate the stories of our families, which we know is vital to creating inclusive policy and practices that not only honor families’ experiences, but actually have the power to move the needle forward on breaking cycles of poverty and creating a more just and equitable society for all people. Through fellowships, storytelling labs, and policy and media partnerships, we are working to support mothers as they develop tools and skills to share their stories with policymakers and community leaders including a collaboration with Ms. Magazine called Front & Center, providing moms with a platform for sharing their stories with a wider audience.