Zero Babies Homeless
Zero Babies Homeless began as a Samuels Group/HOMEworks initiative (with input from lived-experience advocate Kadisha Davis) to end infant homelessness in New York City through unconditional cash and peer support. It evolved into Growing Strong, an unconditional cash transfer and peer-support pilot operated by WIN (Women In Need), New York City's largest family shelter provider. The program provides eligible families with babies under two in WIN shelters up to $1,500 per month for 24 months via debit card, funded by a private foundation grant and studied as a research trial sponsored by Vanderbilt University (launched May 2024). A comparison group of 100 families receives a nominal $50/month, and a third group is tracked only through administrative records. Participants can spend funds however they choose, and the active cash group may also opt into free peer support services.
Homeless Families, Infants, New York City, Peer Support, Guaranteed Income Research, Shelter System, Vanderbilt University Study
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- WIN (Women In Need), in partnership with The Samuels Group (HOMEworks initiative)
- City
- New York
- State / Province
- New York
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 212 695 4758
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Rolling
- Number of recipients
- 100
- Funding type
- Philanthropic, Research Pilot
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 36,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 1,500 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 24 months
- Distribution Type
- Debit Card
- Benefit details
The active intervention group (100 families) receives $1,500 per month via debit card for 24 months (up to $18,000/year, ~$36,000 total per family) with no restrictions on use. A research comparison group of 100 families receives only $50 per month ('nominal cash') for the same 24 months and does not get peer support access. The intervention group may also opt into free, voluntary peer support (1:1 meetings, group events, referrals, financial education). A New York State waiver protects participants' other benefits (e.g., TANF) from being reduced due to the cash gifts while enrolled.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Families must have been found 'eligible' for a WIN shelter within the past 30 days, have at least one child under two years old living with them in shelter, include an adult 18 or older with custody of the child (typically the mother), and speak English or Spanish. Assignment to the $1,500 vs. $50 monthly group is quasi-random, based on which WIN shelter the family is placed in by the NYC Department of Social Services (driven by room size/availability, not direct selection). Any family configuration is otherwise permissible; there is no income test beyond shelter eligibility.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
- Language
- English, Spanish
Family
- Family Status
- Parent, Single Parent
- Number of dependents (minimum)
- 1
Housing
- Housing status
- Homeless
Geography
- US states covered
- New York
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- New York City
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
Growing Strong is a formal research study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06323967, sponsored by Vanderbilt University) testing whether unconditional cash transfers plus voluntary peer support reduce shelter length-of-stay and improve family/child well-being versus nominal cash or usual care. Enrolled families complete a baseline survey and follow-up surveys at 6, 18, and 30 months, and consent to administrative data sharing (shelter stays, child protective services involvement, employment, health care use) collected via NYC's Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence (CIDI). A subset of 30 families (15 per active group) also take part in qualitative interviews. The study has a Certificate of Confidentiality from NIH and a New York State benefits waiver; study start date May 21, 2024, with estimated completion August 30, 2028.
Application Process
- How to apply
There is no general public application. WIN administrative staff identify families who become eligible for a WIN shelter and meet the child's-age criterion, and a designated WIN staff liaison explains the study/program and refers interested families for enrollment.
- Selection process
Families are not individually selected or chosen by lottery; their cash-amount group ($1,500/month 'substantial cash' vs. $50/month 'nominal cash') is determined by which WIN shelter site they are placed in, which is itself decided quasi-randomly by the NYC Department of Social Services based on room size and availability.
