COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WKRC) – One of America’s most populous counties will once again provide monthly $500 checks to its eligible residents.
Cook County, Ill., is extending its guaranteed income program; the County Board of Commissioners voted to allocate $7.5 million from its equity fund for the initiative in the fiscal 2026 budget.
The decision follows the completion of a two-year pilot program using federal pandemic funds that ran from 2022 to 2024, providing unconditional monthly payments to 3,250 low-to-moderate-income families. County officials reported that 75% of participants said they felt more financially secure and 56% said their stress levels declined, according to FOX 32…