Cash Transfer Pilot Project
Cash Transfer participant, Kaundra, and her three girls ages 4, 6, and 8
PHFS has been on the forefront of innovation for over a decade, including pioneering rapid re-housing, homeless prevention, and trauma-informed design and practice. We continue to work upstream, helping families reach long-term housing stability. This year, we innovated again and started a Cash Transfer Pilot Project, which provides direct cash support to families each month for two years to increase housing stability.
This pilot project builds upon the success of models initiated across the globe like the Seed program in Stockton, CA. This evidence-based model provides cash to families to use for whatever they determine their biggest needs are, since they are experts in their own situation. All of PHFS’s programs center the family as the experts in their own lives. We, the service providers, are not here to tell families what their goals are, where to live, and how to run their lives. The families we work with know their lives better than we ever will, and we trust them to come up with their own goals and plans. The Cash Transfer Pilot Project is one of PHFS’s many upstream and innovative approaches to build dignity, restore power, and promote autonomy.
Last summer, a generous, private donor who is very committed to equitable wealth distribution donated the first funding for PHFS’s Cash Transfer Pilot Project. So far, we have enrolled six families in this program, in collaboration with our close partner SEI (Self Enhancement Inc.). We partnered with SEI to intentionally promote equity and transparency in our process. All families enrolled in the program identify as Black and/or multi-racial, all parents are either working or full-time students, and all parents either have a Diploma or some college. Families are all currently housed and have a minimum annual income of $20,180, or 40% of AMI (Area Median Income).
Cash cards in the amount of $575.00 go out monthly between the 25th-28th of each month. Our hope is at the end of this two year project, we will find that offering a guaranteed income source allows families to decrease financial insecurity, reduce debt, have more time to spend with family, and increase their overall wellness and joy. Families have already reported they have been able to use funds for utilities, childcare, medical needs, and food. These are all examples of emergent needs and we expect with time funds will be used for longer term planning and financial stability.
We look forward to continuing to update you all on the progress of the Cash Transfer Program over the two year duration in hopes to replicate for more families in the future!
“I wanted to give some feedback about this program - it has been a blessing! I don’t think I realized how deeply money stress impacted me until now. It’s a very comforting feeling knowing I can count on this monthly. It’s helped drastically with me and my son's quality of life. I know that I can meet most if not all of our needs every month.”
-Cash Transfer Participant
