Anonymous donor gives Durham $100,000 to expand grants to formerly incarcerated people
An anonymous donor will allow Durham to expand a first-of-its-kind local program that will start giving $500 a month to formerly incarcerated individuals in the new year.
After receiving a $100,000 grant, the city’s Guaranteed Income Pilot or Excel, will now serve 129 individuals for a year rather than the initially planned 115.
“Because of this generous investment, which was given in honor of Ahmaud Arbery, 14 more individuals will be able to increase the stability of themselves and their families,” said Syretta Hill, executive director of StepUp Durham, the nonprofit the city hired to run the program.
Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man out for a jog, was chased and gunned down by three white men in a South Georgia neighborhood in February 2020. All were found guilty on murder charges in November.
Hill said she could share nothing about the new benefactor except to say the person wanted to honor Arbery through the donation before Jan. 7. That’s the date of the sentencing hearing that is scheduled for the three men convicted of his murder.
The pilot will begin accepting applications on Jan. 5. Participants will be randomly selected between January and February, before disbursements begin in March through the platform Steady.
To be considered for screening, Durham residents must fill out a form confirming that they were released from state or federal prison after Nov. 1, 2016. They must also note that their household’s annual income is less than 60% of the area median Income, an amount that varies depending on the number of people sharing a home.
Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey contributed $500,000 to the Durham program too, through a grant that Dorsey gave to mayors nationally for guaranteed income. Former Durham mayor Steve Schewel was a member. The Durham program has also received $190,000 in private funds and $110,000 from the city.
The Durham pilot is meant to study the effects of guaranteed income on recidivism, re-incarceration and economic security. The Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR) at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice will evaluate the program.
“We believe this pilot is going to have a positive impact on the city and those who participate. For many participants, these dollars will provide access to basic needs. With some of these needs met, StepUp Durham is well-positioned to partner with individuals around longer-term stability,” said Hill.
Though the cash payments are unconditional, participants will be offered an opportunity to enroll in StepUp Durham’s job placement services.
StepUp Durham’s employment counselors and staff will support guaranteed income recipients with job readiness training, ongoing job search, and job retention support. They will work with individuals as they pursue continuing education opportunities and work alongside them to secure transitional and permanent housing.
