EAT Chicago Releases New Report on Guaranteed Income

EAT Chicago Releases New Report on Guaranteed Income

The Chicago Future Fund Round 2 report solidifies findings that were established in the first round report, revealing the transformative impact guaranteed income can have.

Chicago – Equity and Transformation (EAT) Chicago has released its latest report, “Chicago Future Fund: The Impact of Guaranteed Basic Income on the Lives of Post-Incarceration Individuals,” this morning, February 3, 2025. The report features original research into the impact of guaranteed basic income on recidivism, physical and psychological well-being, and income volatility. It also highlights the experiences of participants in EAT’s guaranteed income program.

The Chicago Future Fund supports individuals’ successful reentry into their communities after incarceration through guaranteed income. This report evaluates the second round of CFF, which provided $500 each in monthly income from March 2023 to February 2024 to 100 formerly incarcerated individuals in Austin, West Garfield Park and Englewood, predominantly Black communities with a combined unemployment rate of 20% and an average per capita income of roughly $18,000 per year.

“Each pilot, each initiative, essentially adds to the narrative change around reparations,” said Richard Wallace, founder and executive director of EAT. “These efforts are part of the larger push for some of the federal policy changes, but that work has to be influenced by what’s bubbling up across Black communities.”

The report shows that participants saved money, paid off debts, experienced improved financial and mental well-being, and demonstrated a commitment to seeking employment. They reported decreased housing instability, modest wage improvements, and aspirations to be community leaders and providers for their families.

“The EAT program shows that somebody cares about trying to help people like me who came home from prison, and gave us a second chance,” said program participant Xavier Walker.

The Chicago Future Fund is an example of what reparative justice, especially for post-incarceration individuals, could look like and acts as a model for local governments all over the country.

To view the report, visit www.eatchicago.org/files/reports/cffround2evaluation.pdf.


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