The city of Chicago has announced a series of new anti-poverty initiatives, including one that will give thousands of low-income families a $500 per month stipend.
That program, known as the Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot, will launch this year as one of the country’s largest monthly assistance programs, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a press release.
The program will support 5,000 low-income households with a $500-per-month stipend, with participating households receiving the checks for 12 months. “Three years ago, we proposed the idea of a citywide cash pilot, and now, 5,000 Chicagoans will soon receive $500 monthly checks,” Harish Patel, director of Economic Security for Illinois, said. “For those families, this will be a year of relief.”
According to city officials, the pilot program will require participants to apply for a lottery to participate.