Financial program is 'a dream come true' for local single mothers

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A group of Columbus mothers are getting some financial assistance from the first unconditional income program in the city.

Motherful is one of the nonprofits behind Ohio Mothers Trust, and its cofounder Lisa Woodward said 32 single mothers in Columbus will receive $500 each month for the next year. These direct payments were established in tandem with two other nonprofits, RISE Together Innovation Institute and UpTogether.

"We got to hear people crying and screaming and just in disbelief and a lot of the moms know exactly what they're going to do with the money," Woodward said.

Single mothers like Angelique Scales and Sharmane Bias will receive their first payment this week.

"Just to be selected overall is a dream come true," Scales said.

The initiative is intended to assist single mothers with an income at or below 80% of the area's median income. 

"It's helping in so, so many ways," Bias said. "Really honestly -- groceries, food. These kids can eat."

Scales said these extra funds will take some weight off her shoulders.

"Being able to keep the fridge filled, be able to put gas in my car, to commute to and from with my children, being able to have a home, just the necessities and the everyday things that we need just to be comfortable," Scales said.

Danielle Sydnor, CEO of RISE Together Innovation Institute, said they view this as an investment in mothers and the larger community.

"People often think that poverty is something that we can get away from that doesn't cost us anything," Sydnor said. "The reality is it is very expensive for our community to continue to kind of really operate at the status quo. Almost $5.7 billion in 2023 was estimated in terms of lost earnings."

Sydnor said through this pilot program, they hope to prove these types of initiatives at the local, state and federal levels.

Scales said the additional funds will allow her to be the person she needs to be for the others in her life.

"This initiative just means so much because they're actively doing the work and for me and my family. It just means that I'll be able to have a little relief, some breathing room to actually be with my children and become a better mother in the space of being more present and being able to provide," Scales said. 

Applications were only open for a 24-hour window. According to the nonprofits, the hope is this will become a permanent program and they'll be able to open it up to more mothers in the future.

"For many people in our community, we know that $500 can be the difference between making sure that they can pay their rent on time, that they can pay for groceries or that they can take care of a need that's just not covered by some of the other social safety net programs that currently are available," Sydnor said.