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The US city giving away free money

Sophie Long

December 09, 2019 |

BBC |

Broadcast TV Programs |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Stockton, California

The city of Stockton, California is providing several low-income residents with $500 per month to pilot the effects of a "Universal Basic Income." So far, pilot participants report feeling less stressed about money, have been able to pay off small amounts of debt, and can afford extra groceries with the additional monthly income.

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What happens when people win this basic income raffle? They have time to find meaning in their lives

Julia Hotz

December 02, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Germany, Berlin

A nonprofit in Berlin tests the success of the Universal Basic Income structure, which is founded on the idea that a monthly stipend awarded to all individuals can create an invigorated labor force and allow people to do what they love. The organization called Mein Grundeinkommen (My Basic Income), has found that recipients of the monthly cash stipend have become less anxious and more curious and willing to reimagine their dream job.

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Safety net program for Pa. women and children is switching out paper for plastic

Aaron Moselle

October 21, 2019 |

WHYY |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s WIC program, offering people experiencing economic hardship food stipends, is switching from paper checks to plastic cards. The seemingly small change will have a huge effect on how the benefits are used, allowing participants to be more flexible in where and how they spend the money. Such flexibility means more of an opportunity to buy healthier food and to use the entire stipend across a month, rather than having to spend it all in one place at one time.

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Income Experiment Offers Stockton Residents a Glimpse at the California Dream

Sammy Caiola

October 03, 2019 |

CapRadio |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Stockton

Stockton, California is piloting a closely-watched experiment with Universal Basic Income, providing a $500 allowance each month for 18 months to 125 low-income families. Preliminary data captured during the first 5 months of the pilot show how recipients spend the money, but participants report benefits beyond the financial, like lower stress levels.

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This new program lets people text to access government food aid

Ben Paynter

September 16, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Anchorage, Alaska

Simplifying the enrollment process makes the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) more accessible to those who qualify. In Anchorage, Alaska, a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies funded a pilot program to help residents enroll in SNAP via text message. Instead of a complicated process, residents can simply text to receive information and begin their enrollment process.

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$1,000 a month, no strings attached

Robert Samuels

September 01, 2019 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Jackson, Mississippi

A pilot program in Jackson, Mississippi called Springboard to Opportunities is providing 20 single, African-American mothers living in public housing with $1000 a month, with no stipulations on how that money should be spent. The experiment so far has allowed mothers to save money, avoid predatory loans, pay off loans, and consider classes and higher education.

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In Seattle, A Move Across Town Could Be A Path Out Of Poverty

Pam Fessler

August 05, 2019 |

NPR |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Pioneering research has indicated that encouraging low-income families to move to "higher opportunity" neighborhoods improves long-term outcomes for their children. A pilot program in Seattle aims to put this to the test, providing services and support for families who have managed to land a housing choice voucher and move to what researchers have deemed high opportunity neighborhoods. Early results are promising, although questions about longer-term impacts and questions about those "left behind" in lower-opportunity neighborhoods remain.

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Winning the War on Poverty

David Brooks

April 04, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada

Canada's poverty level has decreased by at least 20% between 2015 and 2017, helped in part due to a new methodology in solving poverty. Rather than disincentivizing collaboration, advocates got together to create community wide structures that studied the root causes of poverty in their regions and then came up with solutions in partnership with people in poverty, business, non-profits, and the government; what began with six cities now encompasses 344 towns. Of the changes that have come from this, some notable issues include raising the minimum wage and expanding the national child benefit.

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How the Robin Hood Foundation is fighting a hunger emergency in New York caused by the shutdown

Ben Paynter

February 22, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

In response to the government shutdown in December 2018, the Robin Hood Foundation pieced together a food-aid puzzle to provide food for low-income families that weren't receiving their monthly SNAP benefits. By re-stocking food pantries around the city, donating to food delivery services, and working to extend food-aid protections, the organization helped keep thousands across the city fed during the shutdown.

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Frozen Assets

Katia Savchuk

January 01, 2019 |

Mother Jones |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Juneau, Alaska

In Alaska, the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) program, which is meant to provide $1600 to every resident who has lived in Alaska for at least a year, has been proven to reduce poverty and increase quality of life; the program has even been credited for Alaska's status as the state with the second highest income equality in the country. The Fund is meant to disperse wealth from the state's natural resources - but despite it's overall success, decreasing profits from the oil and gas industries has put the Fund in peril as lawmakers cut payments instead of implementing income taxes to generate revenue.

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