Malissa Villegas and her partner in crime, Jason McCallister, take on part-time jobs whenever they can. They've been homebound with their two children for most of the past two years because of their disabilities and hesitance about workplace exposure to COVID.
Villegas' eight-year-old daughter,Samantha, hasn't been in a classroom since March 2020 and is instead studying online. Villegas cares for her two-year-old son. Caretaking for Villegas is a full-time job, but not one that comes with a paycheck.
Villegas was chosen for a guaranteed-income pilot program in her hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, which opened up possibilities for their family. A guaranteed income is a cash payment for people who are eligible.
Over the last year, at least 33 programs like these have been implemented in cities and states nationwide, as reported by Insider. Foster youth aging out of the system and pregnant people are prioritized by the basic income program. Jackson, Mississippi gives money to low-income Black mothers who are living in subsidized housing.
Villegas and McCallister have been able to pay for medical treatments for their children, car payments, and diapers with their $500 per month because of the Pandemic.
Villegas said it helped him with the kids' stuff, like clothes, diapers, and Christmas gifts, as well as baby lotion, night cream, and bath soap to deal with Mason's eczema.
She said that it's essential when you have a crying child.
Cash payment programs have become more popular to help certain populations through the Pandemic.
The mayor of St. Paul is a member of the board of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. Carter launched the People's Prosperity Pilot in November 2020 to help 150 families who fell below the federal poverty level and saw their work hours reduced because of COVID-19.
Peter Leggett, the Mayor Carter's communications director, told Insider that a guaranteed income helps families in ways that traditional forms of public benefits don't. Families can take care of their needs as they come up.
The lack of care options due to COVID-19 was a big challenge for the St. Paul's program.
A family of four doesn't receive disability payments alone.
Villegas first heard about it from the hospital employee who gave birth to Mason in 2020. She stopped working full-time due to mental health disabilities. She avoids part-time jobs because they affect her SSI. Money from guaranteed income programs doesn't usually affect one's eligibility for public assistance programs.
The couple has been supporting their family on disability income due to mental health issues and the case of spinal meningitis in their child. They say that after spending money on rent, utilities, and groceries, there's not much left over for other household costs. Villegas told Insider that she and her family have been helped by the $500 per month from thePPP, which they have spent on car payments and supplies for their children.
It helped her pay for the car repair so she could visit family for the holidays, take kids to the doctor, and drive to the grocery store, which is only ten minutes by car, but about 40 by transit.
I would try to put my health aside for my family.
The Social Security Disability Insurance program has been a benefit for McCallister. He was diagnosed with a disease as a child, and still has health problems as an adult. He had always worked part-time while receiving SSDI funds.
It was difficult to hold on to a job because of the care of Villegas and their children. Like other people who had the disease, McCallister has a weakened immune system, making it difficult for him to work. He worked at metal fabrication plants for a while. The kids were getting sick and that became intolerable a few months ago. The entire family got carbon dioxide.
"I would try to put my health aside for my family and go make money, but the money from [PPP] actually helps out a lot when I have to take off time from work," he said.
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