The “In Her Hands” basic income program in Atlanta provided low-income Black women with $850 monthly for two years, helping them achieve financial stability and improve their living conditions.
Atlanta’s ‘In Her Hands’ Program Provides $850 Monthly to Low-Income Black Women, Improving Financial Stability and Housing Security
According to the Business Insider, a basic income program in Atlanta, Georgia, called “In Her Hands,” has given low-income Black women $850 a month for two years. Started in 2022 by The Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund and GiveDirectly, the program helped 650 women in areas like Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, College Park, and Clay, Randolph, and Terrell counties. The goal was to help these women pay for rent, childcare, and other important needs while also offering financial advice and other support.
Shamarra Woods, a 31-year-old single mother, shared that the monthly payments helped her buy clothes, diapers, and daycare for her daughter. This financial help reduced her stress and allowed her to focus on her job. A report from the first year of the program showed that women who received the money were more financially stable. They were less likely to miss bill payments, have their utilities shut off, or face home evictions compared to those who didn’t get the payments. Many women also used the money for education and better housing.
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$850 a Month: How Atlanta’s ‘In Her Hands’ Basic Income Program is Transforming the Lives of Low-Income Black Women (PHOTO: Capital & Main)
Atlanta’s ‘In Her Hands‘ Program Expands to Continue Supporting Low-Income Women and Plans ‘Baby Bonds’ Initiative for 2025
Even though the program has been successful, it faces challenges from legal and political groups. However, The Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund and GiveDirectly plan to keep helping low-income women. A second phase of the program started in May, offering new payment options to more women. They also plan to start a “baby bonds” program in 2025 to help fight infant and childhood poverty. Woods said the program gave her and her daughter a strong foundation for a better future.
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