Cambridge committee weighs successor to Rise Up cash‑assistance program; no funding vote

The Cambridge City Human Services and Veterans Committee on Wednesday reviewed options for a successor to the city’s Rise Up cash‑assistance program, heard more than a dozen public comments urging continuation, and discussed legal, administrative and budget questions but did not vote to fund a new program.

The committee heard a presentation from the Cambridge Community Foundation and the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (CEOC) outlining design options and cost estimates. Geeta Pradhan, president of the Cambridge Community Foundation, told the committee the city’s pilot was the first citywide program of its kind and urged continuation: “We were the first city in the country to offer a citywide program, which was built on a fully philanthropically funded 1,660,000.00 investment.”

The Foundation and CEOC presented a model that mirrors the pilot’s eligibility and benefit level: $500 per month to families with children and incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty line. That design was estimated to include roughly 1,923 families (about 7,200 residents) and would require several months to relaunch; the presenters projected a FY26 partial year cost and an annualized FY27 cost. Alternate options shown at the meeting included…