“People are in a rush to be that first person in line because they are afraid that so many people need so much help that it’s going to run out,” Kristen K. Mighty said.
The guaranteed income pilot program will send $500 to more than 3,200 Cook County residents each month for the next two years.During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Takiyah Franklin continued working as a phlebotomist even as she worried about the possibility of spreadingFranklin, 46, of Oak Park, is among the thousands applying for the Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot, which will provide 3,250 residents with $500 a month for two years with no strings attached.
She and her two sons were among nearly two dozen people at Quinn Center of St. Eulalia parish in suburbanwho recently got help filling out applications. But their chances to be selected via a lottery could be slim. An individual’s household income must be at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, meaning $33,975 a year for a single person, according to Cook County. For a family of four, the household income must be $69,375 or less.The online application will ask participants for an email or mobile number to reach them, though people can also provide contact information for a relative, friend or community organization instead.
The number of people in line may illustrate the anxiety people feel over the ripple effects of the coronavirus pandemic and inflation, Mighty said. The parish’s weekly food pantry has seen an uptick in demand. Hicks said he wanted to try his luck at the lottery, though he knows the odds of being selected might be slim.Craig Armstrong, 57, of Broadview, moved into his own apartment in July after being unhoused for years, he said. He would like to use the monthly benefit to furnish his place, purchase essentials, like clothing, and he wants to become a truck driver. For now, he’s working on improving his health while he receives Social Security disability benefits.
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