Before the birth fund, Amarianna Chandler was trying to escape homelessness.
The 23-year-old tried to live with family briefly, but it was hard with her four children and another on the way. Bills were piling up. She worked long hours as a driver for Instacart, buying and delivering other people’s groceries.
Then, in late 2025, she found the BIRTH Fund. The program, spearheaded by Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration, sends direct cash assistance to pregnant women living in ZIP codes where infant mortality is the highest. To qualify, the moms must also have a family income that’s $39,000 or less.
Over three years of monthly payments, participants receive about $20,000 total. There are no strings attached — they can spend the money however they want.
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“We believe people know what they need,” said Ben Tapper, who heads the city’s Office of Equity, Belonging and Inclusion, which manages the program. “Especially when they’re new moms taking care of someone other than themselves.”
So far, Chandler has spent her monthly stipend on rent, a car note and supplies for her new daughter — including a crib, car seat, diapers and baby clothes. It allowed her to take time off of work later in her pregnancy, too.
“It’s been a huge relief,” Chandler told Mirror Indy. “It was hard for me to keep up with bills before, especially as a single mother.”
She is also thinking about the future and working toward her high school diploma.
“I am taking the time to save up money while I do have the help,” Chandler said. “This program isn’t forever, but I want it to be a stepping stone.”
Tackling infant mortality rates
When the application first opened, the demand for the BIRTH Fund was high: Over 900 people in Marion County applied for 100 spots. Eventually, the program added 50 more participants.
“It’s clear people don’t have what they need to feel safe and secure during such a vulnerable time like pregnancy,” Tapper said.
By supporting new moms, he hopes the program will also help lower the city’s infant mortality rate, which disproportionately affects Black families.
Studies show infant mortality rates are linked to poor nutrition, lack of access to prenatal care and doctors, systemic racism and poverty. In Indiana, Black babies are about twice as likely to die during birth or up to a year after compared to white babies.
“We have to have sustained investment to keep people out of this hole,” Tapper said.
The BIRTH Fund follows a national model from The Bridge Project, a nonprofit sending money to low-income mothers across the country.
According to demographic information shared by Tapper, the current cohort of moms in the Indianapolis program are 72% Black, about 13% white and 5% Hispanic or Latino. The other 10% are multiracial, Asian or Native American. The average age of participants is 28 years old, and their average annual income is about $13,700.
About half of the participants are working. The vast majority of them — about 77% — are single parents. Nearly 91% are enrolled in Medicaid, a government-based health insurance program for low-income families and children. And about 45% of participants reported having unstable housing.
The work is personal for Tapper. He lost a sibling to sudden infant death syndrome — an unexplained death that occurs before a baby’s first birthday. In 2023, SIDS made up about 8% of infant deaths in Indiana.
“I remember releasing balloons for her,” Tapper said. “Now, I have the opportunity to do this work that can save lives.”
‘I will never let them down’
Applications for the BIRTH Fund are currently closed, but Tapper said the program is raising money to support another cohort.
The BIRTH Fund is supported by The Indianapolis Foundation and private donors.
Chandler said she sees the direct impact of their gifts every day.
Outside of paying bills, she now has more time to spend with her five children, including 5-month old Zamra. Chandler takes them on walks at the park and fires up the karaoke machine for an at-home KPop Demon Hunters sing along.
She hopes the monthly payments can eventually support her biggest dream — home ownership. She dreams of a backyard with plenty of space for her children to run and play.
“I have a village to take care of and they mean the world to me,” Chandler said. “I will never let them down.”
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Mary Claire Molloy covers health. Reach her at 317-721-7648 or email maryclaire.molloy@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @mcmolloy7.
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