Mother's Outreach Network

MON is a racial justice and antipoverty organization that supports Black family preservation and economic security. Its approach is “movement lawyering”: lawyers work alongside a community, hear and elevate its voices, and use collaboration and advocacy (litigation takes a back seat). MON’s flagship program trains community members on their legal rights and the legislative process, empowering them to fight for themselves and their neighbors. The main focus is punitive child welfare laws and economic policies that separate mothers from children. MON also provides legal counsel and representation to aid mothers in challenging their placement on the Child Protection Register and obtaining refundable tax credits and other cash benefits. MotherUp is a guaranteed income pilot that would put cash in the hands of struggling Black moms caught in the web of the child welfare system – supporting them while they strive to preserve their families.