The program selected the recipients from 6,450 applicants who applied for the program, which is designed to provide a guaranteed income of $500 every month to eligible applicants.
Income Program ( Photo: Marca )
The Pathway to Income Equity pilot program in Sonoma County, California, will provide its next round of payments to 305 eligible families on Wednesday
In order to qualify for the program, applicants had to have at least one child under the age of six, have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and have a household income that was no more than 185% above the federal poverty level.
The program was launched as an effort to reduce poverty and promote economic mobility for families with young children. The Sonoma County officials will study the effect that the additional monthly income has on these families. The program is set to run until December 2024, with the payments being delivered on the third Wednesday of each month.
The director of the nonprofit group First 5 Sonoma County, Angie Dillon-Shore, said that most of the recipients were already working, with many working more than one job or more than 40 hours a week just to make ends meet. Dillon-Shore believes that the extra income will allow these families to spend more time with their families, find a better job, or improve their financial well-being, resulting in better outcomes for their children.
The program accepted applications from September 1 to October 31 last year, with a total of 2,383 applicants meeting the eligibility requirements
Chris Coursey, the chairman of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, said that the information they gain from this pilot program will help shape future efforts to improve the health and welfare of the community.
The payments are aimed at helping families with young children who are often struggling with the high costs of housing and child care. The program hopes to reduce poverty and promote economic mobility for these families, while also providing data that can be used to improve future programs.
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