We are excited to share the recent article in the Washington Post about our “2-Gen” guaranteed income pilot Guaranteed, Together, which was launched this summer with partner Social Justice School! Believed to be D.C.’s first intergenerational guaranteed income program, the pilot is distributing direct cash to 15 families through monthly payments.
The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform’s Washington DC Gun Violence Reduction Strategic Plan recommends addressing poverty and its intersection with gun violence through a guaranteed income pilot program that pays a $750 stipend to 200 Black families that have children under 10 years of age, have household incomes below $50,000, and live in either Ward 7 or 8.
During the summer, MON will sustain and assess the efficacy of a guaranteed income program for transition-aged youth and families involved with CFSA or Child Protective Services (CPS). For three months, MON and the Social Justice School, will distribute direct cash benefits to transition-aged youth and their families. Pilot program participants will receive $200/week ($800/month) for a period of three months. In collaboration with The Social Justice School, MON has identified and enrolled 15 youth and families into the pilot program.
Our goal is simple – to shore up families who are financially strapped and whose poverty gets confused with neglect. We hope this is just the beginning: a summer program today and a permanent policy in the long run. Economic wellness equals family wellness. We believe this program is a key part of demonstrating this to be true. Our goal is to assist as many families as possible. Ultimately, we want to demonstrate the devastating impact that poverty has on families, which we hope can lead to policy change.
In Solidarity
Melody (she, her, hers)
Melody R. Webb, Esq.
Founder and Executive Director
Mother’s Outreach Network / Guaranteed Income Coalition
