East Harlem is arguably one of the poorest communities in New York City. Nearly 40% of residents live below the poverty line and unemployment is twice the national average. It’s a mecca of anti-poverty programs.

Most everything has been tried here, but the latest one, Opportunity NYC, is rather unique. It’s a two-year initiative implemented by the Bloomberg administration which offers cash incentives to participating families upon completion of certain activities.

For example, parents get money for keeping an eye on their children’s attendance in school, making sure they get to the doctor for checkups, and even obtaining a library card. It’s based on a similar program in Mexico called Oportunidades.

The program has just completed its first year in New York and on the surface appears to be designed to reward parents for their new level of awareness, and help them shift their behavior, thus triggering an upward boost in social status. It worked in Mexico, but will it work in the urban setting of New York City?

Critics call it patronizing, “Why should families get cash for doing the things they should do as responsible parents?” one critic asked me, adding that it sets a bad precedent.

But here’s the flip side. Suppose a family is struggling to make ends meet, and this program offers that special little difference in their lives to catapult them up the social status ladder?

Such might be the case for Vylmary and Eustice Bennet, who have five children and are living below the poverty line. Vylmary told me in her interview that while she was already doing the activities mandated by the program in order to participate, the extra cash has made a significant difference in the lives of her children. It can fuel life-altering implications down the road.

The extra cash (which parents are able to use at their discretion), for example, allowed one of the Bennet’s sons to participate in sports and purchase the required uniform. This young man shows promise as an athlete and might be eligible for a scholarship which then in turn could take him on a road to college. It seems insignificant, but in fact, might have huge implications. Such participation might mean the difference between this child going to college -– or staying in the same cycle of poverty.

For several other Bennet children the extra cash is being put toward buying a computer. That goal alone has far-reaching possibilities. The children might be better served in their education. A computer allows for an expansion of knowledge and for these children to keep up on the technological world they have been born into.

These might seem like trivial expenses, but for parents who have to choose between feeding the family and such aforementioned items, Opportunities NYC has the potential to create a substantial shift. We won’t know the preliminary results till next fall. Until then, Vylmary and Eustice Bennet say they’ll work the system to the fullest with hopes that their children’s future might get that special something that will propel them out of the cycle of poverty.