OAN’s Avril Elfie
10:25am – Saturday, February 3, 2024
New York City plans to launch a $53 million program to provide prepaid credit cards to immigrants.
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The goal of the effort by Mobility Capital Finance and the office of Mayor Eric Adams (D.N.Y.) is to help immigrants pay for food until they are approved by the federal government, according to reports.
Only bodegas, grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores accept the card.
To avoid exclusion from the program, recipients must sign an affidavit promising to use the money only for food and baby supplies. Various amounts will be charged to your card depending on your family size and income.
A family of four can receive $35 per day or $1,000 per month, and card refills occur every 28 days.
Mobility Capital Finance CEO Wole Coaxum released a statement regarding the partnership with New York City.
“MoCaFi is looking forward to partnering with New York City to provide funding for asylum seekers to purchase fresh, hot food,” Coaxum said. “MoCaFi’s goal is to expand access to financial resources for individuals excluded from banking, such as asylum seekers, while supporting local economies.”
The city initially plans to offer the cards to only 500 people, but could soon expand the program to include the estimated 15,000 immigrants who call the city home.
Kayla Mamelak, a spokeswoman for Mayor Adams, said the cards will help provide food and baby supplies to families.
“In addition to helping families purchase fresh produce for culturally appropriate diets and their favorite baby products, this pilot program will also save New York City more than $600,000 per month and $7.2 million annually. We hope to save more than that,”’ Mamelak said.
The prepaid card initiative was announced just one day later. post unveiled an additional $137 million deal with a city hotel that will house more than 750 rooms for families seeking asylum.
An additional 1,500 asylum seekers arrived last week and the city is now home to just over 66,000 people as it grapples with a crisis expected to cost $10 billion by 2025. There is.
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