Notes and Quotes From Today’s Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Press Conference

Notes from today’s new guaranteed income pilot program press conference:

• “I’m really proud that Montgomery County will be the first jurisdiction in Maryland to offer guaranteed income,” Councilmember @willjawando.

• Councilmember @albornoz_gabe, a co-sponsor of the guaranteed income program, says that the program will help residents that are struggling to pay their rent and other expenses.

• Council Vice President @albornoz_gabe explains how guaranteed income programs help empower families to make their own decisions to pay for essentials like rent and childcare.

• Councilmember @CMEvanGlass, lead for homelessness, says “this program is not a hand out, it’s a hand up,” talking about how the pandemic exposed the needs residents have.

• Councilmember @CMEvanGlass who is a cosponsor of guaranteed income in Montgomery County describes the new pilot program as, “A hand up, not a hand out.”

More information about the program, courtesy of Montgomery County, below:

Special appropriation of nearly $2 million will be introduced at the Council to fund the program with additional financial support from the Meyer Foundation

Rockville, Md., Oct. 25, 2021 — On Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 12:30 p.m., Councilmember Will Jawando and Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz will host a joint press conference with County Executive Marc Elrich, Councilmembers, the Director of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Dr. Raymond L. Crowel, and representatives from the Meyer Foundation, the Collaboration Council, non-profit and university partners to announce a Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for Montgomery County residents.

Expected to launch in 2022, the program will provide direct cash payments of $800 per month to 300 county households for 24 months. Area university partners will evaluate the program’s impact on participating households with anecdotal, qualitative and quantitative data. The County’s Guaranteed Income Pilot Program will be a public-private partnership supported by the County Executive, Montgomery County DHHS, the Meyer Foundation, UpTogether and the Collaboration Council.

“Wealth and income inequality in the U.S. and in Montgomery County continues to be a challenge that has only become more dire during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Councilmember Jawando. “Guaranteed income is a promising strategy to reduce inequality and relieve pressure for families struggling to meet basic needs. As the first jurisdiction in Maryland to launch a Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, I want our county to be on the forefront of understanding and implementing solutions that improve the lives of our residents and allow them to achieve their full potential.”

“I am excited about the potential for this program to assist families in permanently exiting poverty,” said Council Vice President Albornoz. “It honors a family’s resilience by placing trust in their ability to make their own decisions on what is best for their path forward. This program will help provide economic mobility and put an end to generational poverty.”