<
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/how-king-countys-500-a-month-guaranteed-income-program-fared/>
"For years, Candice Johnson had a stable job and few money troubles.
But when she was laid off during the pandemic, she found herself in “a chain
reaction of events that kept going down.” Pregnant, jobless and forced to leave
her home due to domestic violence, Johnson’s life “was an absolute mess,” she
said.
Then her luck turned around. She got an apartment through King County Regional
Homelessness Authority’s Rapid Re-Housing Program and connected with case
workers at the YWCA, landing a job at a Pierce County bank.
And critically, she was tapped to receive $500 a month through a 10-month
guaranteed basic income pilot program run by the Workforce Development Council
of Seattle-King County, a local nonprofit organization.
The money helped her pay for her now 18-month-old son’s day care, cover gas to
commute for work and stay on top of her utility bills. She’s also been able to
save a little each month for small treats for her son, like money to go to the
zoo or aquarium.
Johnson is on track to pay off the debts she accumulated while unemployed
during the pandemic. She’s healthier, she said, and happier.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done without it,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s experience is echoed in a report published in March on the impact of
the program. The pilot program began in October 2022, with people joining on a
rolling basis.
According to pre- and post-program surveys, the extra $500 helped recipients
find more work with better benefits, increase their wages and grow their
savings."
See also:
Seattle gave low-income residents $500 a month no strings attached.
Employment rates nearly doubled.
<
https://www.businessinsider.com/seattle-ubi-guaranteed-basic-income-low-income-poverty-housing-employment-2024-4>
Via HU Art Sound and Kenny Chaffin.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
