Mothers are sharing their stories about how federal unemployment benefits and a guaranteed-income initiative have helped them build safety nets – as 26 states, including Tennessee, cut enhanced unemployment benefits, months before they were set to expire. The American Rescue Plan included federal support for people who are unemployed. And the Magnolia Mother’s Trust, in its third year, provides one-thousand dollars a month for 12 months to at least 100 low-income Black mothers. Tia, of Jackson, Mississippi, explains that cash relief has helped her maintain a safety net for her kids. But she adds she’ll always want to be working.
“You want to add on to your money, not decrease your money. You might have to go to the doctor, you might have to pay out of pocket; your car might break down.”
Tia’s experience is among many that counter the narratives cited by Republican governors who ended benefits early – that people receiving unemployment are dependent on the system, or discouraged from working. Studies also show so far, that cutting benefits hasn’t boosted employment in those states.
Another mom in the program, Sabrina, plans to study nursing, buy a home and have her son attend a school with extra supports for his dyslexia. She says the federal aid was a big help, but adds either way, she’ll make it work.
“I guess I’ll have to maintain, saving-wise. I do couponing, or I just put money to the side and don’t touch it. I think about, ‘What is light, what is rent, what is gas, what is for emergency?'”
According to a 2020 report evaluating the Magnolia Mother’s Trust, a little more than a quarter of mothers said they could pay their bills on time before the program started. Afterward, it was more than 80-percent. Advocates for workforce equity say federal supports like guaranteed income and unemployment insurance can help low-income women, especially women of color, cover costs and work toward long-term goals.
