KALAMAZOO, MI — Quianna Jenkins had her first child at 19, her second at 21 and her third at 27.

As a young mother, the first two put an incredible financial strain on Jenkins and her longtime partner, who she moved to Kalamazoo with in 2021.

Things have been much easier since she gave birth to their third child, Keezley, on Feb. 20.

Rx Kids — a new program that gives mothers in Flint, Kalamazoo and nine other Michigan communities $1,500 in prenatal care and $500 per month for the first year of a child’s life — has made all the difference.

The program launched in Flint in January 2024 and came to Kalamazoo this February, providing all new mothers in the city limits access to its benefits.

To date, $14.273 million has been prescribed to 3,342 expectant and new mothers statewide. S

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