Hello Dear Ones!

I hate feeling so helpless as critical social infrastructure gets stripped away, seemingly before the impact is fully understood. I’m participating in raising money for New Moms, an organization I care deeply about which champions of the strength, ability, and potential of young moms who want to pursue and achieve their goals.  

We know how much resource it takes to raise our kids - our time, the benefits of our education, the privilege we are able to pass on to them, not to mention our financial resources and family safety nets. Now imagine having none of this, and trying to raise the next generation of humans. It would be overwhelming! (It is overwhelming with all of these resources!)

This alone is reason to begin this fundraising page, but I am moved at this time because of my concern over potential cuts to Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and HUD. These cuts would hurt young moms who are pregnant and/or parenting who rely on these critical supports to maintain their health and progress toward economic mobility and housing stability.

I don't have to tell you that Medicaid is critical to all of our communities. In Illinois alone, it helps 3.4 million people, including children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families access the care they need. Nationwide, Medicaid provides coverage for 36.8 million children, 60% of seniors in nursing homes, and 41% of births.

SNAP is our nation's first line of defense against hunger. It also ensures a healthy public and bolsters economic stability. Cutting SNAP benefits will force more families into food insecurity, increasing the demand on food banks and local charities, which are already stretched thin. Charities cannot absorb the loss of SNAP benefits.

Critical HUD supports empower moms with safety and connections on their way to housing stability. HUD’s affordable housing and homelessness programs play a vital role in helping households make ends meet and stabilize families and communities-- and HUD staff are necessary to administer these programs.

All of these cuts will have disastrous consequences. Families will lose access to lifesaving services, states will be strapped with massive budget holes, hospitals and clinics will lose revenue, forcing them to scale back services, and American families and workers will be unable to afford essential care and houseing to help them stay healthy. 

If you’d like to help and feel like you are making a difference, you can visit my page and make a donation here: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/newmoms-fundraising/account/1951550/donate/. 

If you'd like to learn more about the life-valuing work of New Moms, you can click here: https://newmoms.org/

If you can think of others who might be interested in making a donation, please forward this email to them or share it on social media!  New Moms is a great organization and you’d be helping young families by spreading the word. 

Thank you so much for reading this far and for considering supporting New Moms! It takes a village, and now we need to build that village ourselves if our government won't protect the most vulnerable of us. 

Sincerely,
Cathi

New Moms
5317 W Chicago Ave (at the end of my block!)
Chicago, IL 60651