A former basic income recipient used her $500 a month check to start a business. It's keeping her afloat 4 years later.
A former recipient of a guaranteed basic income (GBI) program in Georgia credits the $500 monthly payments with providing the stability needed to start a business and secure new employment. While the long-term impacts of GBI remain a subject of study, participants often report improved financial resilience.
Why it matters
As discussions around AI-driven job displacement grow, GBI programs are increasingly viewed as potential safety nets for economic stability.
Crystal Crawford, 40, received a $500 monthly basic income for one year. Photo Courtesy of Crystal Crawford Crystal Crawford, 40, received $500 a month for one year from a guaranteed basic income pilot. Years later, she landed a new job and feels more able to pay household bills. Crawford still worries about savings, but feels GBI was helpful for her stability. Crystal Crawford wasn't losing sleep over bills. She could confidently afford her apartment in Augusta, Georgia, and felt her spending was well within her means. That all changed in the summer of 2020, when she unexpectedly lost her job as a social worker. Amid the financial anxiety, Crawford learned that she qualified for a local guaranteed basic income program . Nearly 300 households in the area received $500 a month for one year.
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