Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (Fresno EOC) is proud to announce the official launch of the “Advancing Fresno County Guaranteed Income” program. On July 15, 2024, 150 local families will began receiving $500 a month for one year. The Guaranteed Income program provides monthly, cash payments to individuals in vulnerable communities, with no restrictions on how the money can be spent. This approach aims to empower families to address their unique needs and enhance their financial stability.
On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, Fresno EOC will hosted a press conference at the Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps to share updates on the program following the two-month application window and lottery selection process. During the event, the community heard directly from two of the program participants and preview the plan for the next 12 months, including the evaluation of program results that will inform future similar projects.
“I want to thank everybody behind this. You blessed me and my little boy; it’s a blessing,” said Patricia Cail, a program participant from the 93706 zip code.
Patricia shares that the financial support will greatly help her and her grandson, whom she is raising.
“I’ve already bought my grandson back-to-school clothes, something I didn’t think I’d be able to do,” said Cail. She plans to use the funds to create a better life for them and to get their bills paid.
The application period for the program ran from March 15, 2024, to May 15, 2024. After the application window closed, independent evaluation partners from the Center for Community Voices at Fresno State conducted a lottery to randomly select a diverse group of low-income families with young children from the 93706 (Southwest Fresno) and 93234 (Huron) zip codes. These areas have some of the highest rates of concentrated poverty in the city of Fresno and the westside of Fresno County, respectively.
“I grew up in Mendota, I had services from Fresno EOC, so I know firsthand what Fresno EOC services can do for a child and what it can do for a family.” said Emilia Reyes, Fresno Economic Opportunities CEO.
“We know families are hardworking, resilient, and all they need is a little help and support,” said Reyes, “the fact that we have this opportunity to launch this small program and hopefully advocate more, to impact more families in our communities, is simply an honor.”
Fresno, the fifth largest city in California and the tenth largest in the country, has a poverty rate of 22 percent, more than 1.5 times the rate in California (12.2 percent) according to the 2023 US Census Data. Nearly 32 percent of Black or African American residents and 22 percent of Latin households in Fresno County live below the poverty line, struggling to maintain the average standard of living.
The city has experienced one of the largest rent increases since the start of the pandemic, with an almost 30% increase amounting to $277 more per month on average. Last year, a report revealed that Fresno County has the fifth-highest share of child care costs per median family income, with 26% of median income household budgets going to child care.
Nancy Ramirez, a program participant from Huron also spoke about how overwhelmed she was with joy when she found out she was selected.
“I feel extremely blessed to have been selected because I knew from the very beginning that this would be a tremendous help for me and my daughter, ” said Ramirez. “I want to say thank you all of those that made this possible, because this is really going to benefit me and a lot of other families.”
The California Wellness Foundation is providing roughly half of the project’s funding, along with support from The California Endowment, Central Valley Community Foundation, Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, James Irvine Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, the Sierra Health Foundation, and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, with over $1 million raised. Fresno EOC, is administering the program, and also providing financial and administrative support.
Researchers affiliated with the Center for Community Voices at Fresno State will conduct the local research evaluation, measuring the impact on health, happiness, financial stability, employment, parental involvement, and school readiness. The “Advancing Fresno County Guaranteed Income” program is a bold step towards addressing poverty and creating a brighter future for families in need.
