OAKLAND, Calif. (KERO) — 300 families from Oakland will continue receiving $500 a month for the next six months as part of the Universal Basic Income Program.
The Universal Basic Income Program was created with the intention of advancing a family's socioeconomic situation. Up Together is the non-profit overseeing the project in Oakland, which is fully funded by philanthropy.
Officials with the non-profit say the extra cash gives families the chance to make a strategic investment, such as buying a new car, which can be the difference between a good-paying job and a great-paying job.
Other non-profits are following the universal basic income model. Mayors for Guaranteed Income was founded with the same goal: to increase economic mobility.
While there is no data that shows the outcome of each person receiving this money, the non-profit says they trust people to make decisions that are best for them.
