$500 Monthly Stimulus Checks: Residents of This Illinois Town Have Less Than a Week To Apply

Aerial view of Northwestern University campus.
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If you live in the City of Evanston, Illinois, you could receive a surprise windfall of an extra $500 per month for a year.

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A year-long pilot program, a joint effort between the City and Northwestern University, will give 150 families, selected at random from a lottery, $500 per month on a prepaid debit card to spend as they see fit. The funds will supplement the existing social safety net, according to a press release issued by the City of Evanston.

To be entered in the drawing, participants must live in Evanston and have a household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. In 2022, the federal poverty level for all states besides Alaska and Hawaii is $13,590 for an individual and $27,750 for a family of four.

In addition to meeting maximum income requirements, entrants must fall into one of the following categories, according to the press release:

  • Between the ages of 18 and 24
  • 62 years or older
  • An undocumented community member
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The program is funded by Northwestern University and the city, as well as $700,000 in excess funds from the 2021 federal American Rescue Plan. The Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, as it is called, will contain a research component that will study the impact of providing those in need with guaranteed funds to spend however they choose.

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The application period for the program ends on August 29, 2022. Shortly after that, recipients will be selected. Evanston residents can visit cityofevanston.org.gi to learn more and apply.

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About the Author

Dawn Allcot is a full-time freelance writer and content marketing specialist who geeks out about finance, e-commerce, technology, and real estate. Her lengthy list of publishing credits include Bankrate, Lending Tree, and Chase Bank. She is the founder and owner of GeekTravelGuide.net, a travel, technology, and entertainment website. She lives on Long Island, New York, with a veritable menagerie that includes 2 cats, a rambunctious kitten, and three lizards of varying sizes and personalities – plus her two kids and husband. Find her on Twitter, @DawnAllcot.
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