Strong Families, Strong Futures DC

Martha’s Table works in deep collaboration with our neighbors to deliver on our mission to support strong children, strong families, and strong communities in Washington, D.C. through four program areas: education, health and wellness, family supports, and community investments.

We are proud to build on this work with Strong Families, Strong Futures DC, a direct cash assistance program supporting D.C. mothers. Launched in 2022 and supported by the D.C. Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), Martha’s Table administered $1.5 million in the first year of the pilot to 132 expectant and new mothers in Wards 5, 7, and 8–providing critical assistance to children and families from day one. 

Over the pilot’s duration, participants reported spending most of their funds on housing, food, and transportation. As the program progressed, participants also reported saving more money for the future –a core goal of the pilot.

This shift towards savings and financial security is particularly significant, given that participants face challenges, including unaffordable housing costs and uneven access to jobs that provide family-sustaining incomes. 

To build on the success of the program, Martha’s Table and DMPED are proud to announce that the program will continue, and starting April 2024 current participants of the program will resume receiving monthly cash payments totalling $7,500 over the course of the program year.

In addition to the direct cash transfer payments, Martha’s Table partners with the Department of Insurance Securities and Banking (DISB) and Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) to provide financial empowerment courses. Martha’s Table also provides holistic wrap around services that includes:

• Quality Education: Supporting children and young adults from birth through college and career so that they achieve financial security and economic mobility
• Health & Wellness: Improving physical, emotional, and mental health and well-being through nutritious foods, exercise, and supportive relationships. 
• Family Engagement & Community Supports: Providing programs, connections, and resources (like food, clothing and other critical essentials) so that parents are supported in their important role as family leaders 
• Community Investment: Investing deeply in the neighborhoods in which we work fostering economic mobility and a stronger social fabric that binds our community together.

Martha’s Table is proud to invest in families with financial planning and tools to build for the future.

We will continue to strengthen and build on the success of the program through the following measures: 

• Payments will be made to families monthly, and we will continue to trust families know how to best utilize the additional cash they are receiving
• Participants will receive increased support via tailored financial empowerment workshops and savings program so  that they can move from instability to thriving

Martha’s Table is also grateful for the additional grant awarded from the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund, which enabled 16 more participants to join the program in 2023.

Should you have questions about the program, please contact sfsf@marthastable.org.