Mid Massachusetts News

Nearly 400 Cambridge households were issued payments just four weeks after the launch of the application period for Rise Up Cambridge, the City of Cambridge’s new $22 million cash assistance program. The payments were delivered the week of June 25th – days prior to the initially committed date. The application period first opened on June 1 and the first round of payments was sent to families whose applications were approved within the first week.

Eligible households can receive $500 per month for 18 months. With the first delivery, 394 of the 1,750 eligible households who submitted applications for Rise Up Cambridge, have been issued payments. An ongoing process is underway for the next round of payments. This response represents approximately 90% of eligible families in Cambridge, which continues to highlight the strong demand and support for this program within the community. The registration period for Rise Up Cambridge is open through July 31, 2023 and any families that have not yet applied are encouraged to at www.cambridgema.gov/riseup.

“We are so pleased to deliver the first round of cash assistance to our families that need it most,” said Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. “They will quickly be able to benefit from this impactful program and obtain much-needed financial stability.”

“Rise Up Cambridge has been a significant priority for the City and our community”, said Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang. “Through this important program, we are helping to empower eligible families as they strive for economic stability, access to quality education, job opportunities, and improved health."

The City expects to have upwards of 2,000 households apply for the program.

The Rise Up Cambridge program empowers residents to decide how to best meet their basic needs and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Cambridge is utilizing the direct cash assistance approach to positively impact some of its most vulnerable families. With this program, Cambridge became the first city in the nation to introduce a non-lottery program to provide direct cash assistance to all eligible families.

To learn more about Rise Up Cambridge, program eligibility, in person application assistance, or to apply, please visit www.cambridgema.gov/riseup.

About Rise Up Cambridge
The Rise Up Cambridge: Cash Payments for Families with Kids Program is the only citywide cash assistance program of its kind in the country. This new program aims to equip families with economic mobility by providing direct cash to low-income Cambridge households with children at or under 21 years of age, earning at or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Participants are eligible to receive $500 per month for 18 months. Rise Up Cambridge is being funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and run in partnership with the Office of Mayor Siddiqui, Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee, and the Cambridge Community Foundation. 

Original source can be found here.