Americans can score up to $2,000 in free money from little-known program but there’s a group ‘intentionally’ left out
QUALIFYING Americans can get their hands on thousands through a little-known program.
The free money varies depending on certain criteria, with one group left out for a crucial reason.
GettySome Americans could be eligible for monthly payments for a year up to $2,000[/caption]
Bread for the City, a non-profit based out of Washington DC, seeks to assist low-income residents and give them the “power to determine the future of their communities,” per a news release.
The non-profit set out to do this through a Guaranteed Income (GI) Program called CashRx.
Guaranteed Income programs have been introduced by many cities nationwide, seeking to uplift those in poverty, in disinvested communities, or who struggle with other disadvantages.
CashRx is funded through a Health Equity grant of around $400,000 and is in its first phase of helping a finite number of residents in the Washington DC area.
The recipients work directly with Bread for the City’s health teams to improve their quality of life while getting cash transfers monthly.
There’s no definitive limit on how much recipients can get each month through CashRx, but Bread for the City set a tentative maximum of around $2,000.
Bread for the City said most payments for the residents in the first phase have been between $1,100 and $1,400.
The payments last for a total of 12 months.
These amounts were determined through staff at the non-profit working with the claimants on a worksheet that would show them how much income they might need for expenses and their other needs.
The non-profit gathered data on where the residents spent their cash and determined it was predominantly on food and housing.
Many also noted that the guaranteed income from CashRx allowed them to prepare for financial emergencies and spend more time with loved ones.
ONE OR THE OTHER
Bread for the City confirmed five residents took part in the first phase of CashRx last fall, and there’s an expected opening of five to ten more spots for this summer.
The applicants will be determined through questionnaires and check-ins before cash disbursement amounts are finalized.
Other eligibility criteria other than income amount and residency in Washington DC were not noted, but Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients are also “intentionally” left out of the CashRx benefits.
How does Guaranteed Income work?
Guaranteed Income and Universal Basic Income programs have taken off in popularity recently.
After the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan of 2021 sent stimulus money to local governments, dozens began testing guaranteed income (GI) systems.
The specifics vary, but GI typically involves payouts to people with low incomes. Unlike traditional welfare, there are no job requirements, drug tests, or other strings attached.
Some have pushed for a Universal Basic Income (UBI), which would go to everyone regardless of how much money they make at work. Alaska has used a similar system since the 1970s.
Proponents say this alleviates poverty while incentivizing work, unlike classic welfare, which cuts benefits from people who begin earning “too much” money to qualify.
Opponents argue such a system is too expensive to function on a large scale.
Bread for the City noted that this was decided because their SSI benefits would’ve been removed if they met the low-income and asset criteria for the GI program.
Recipients essentially can’t have both benefits at once.
HELPING HAND
Initiatives similar to CashRx are set to soon be available in other prominent cities like Chicago, Illinois.
Officials in the city recently confirmed they were working to start another GI program using leftover money from a coronavirus assistance fund to get $500 monthly payments to eligible residents.
The cash from a $63 million pot has to be used by the end of 2024, otherwise it will go back to the federal government.
Some residents can also get $500 monthly payments in Evanston, another Illinois city, from an $840,000 pot if they meet three criteria.
A California city is also sending out payments of up to $725 per month for a year to go out to assist low-income residents.
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