Stimulus check of up to $12,000 in California: who are the beneficiaries?

Residents in Sonoma County, California who have qualified for the guaranteed income program called Pathway to Income Equity will receive stimulus checks of up to $500 for 24 months for a total of $12,000.

According to the entity’s website, “The PIE pilot program aims to increase family economic stability and alleviate financial stressors for 305 families “low-income parents with young children and pregnant women in Sonoma County.”

These stimulus checks began distribution in February 2023 to randomly qualified households and will be available through February 2025. The first evaluation report on the impact of this stimulus check was published in the first quarter of this year.

The dynamics of the program is that beneficiaries optionally participate in research activities such as surveys and interviews.They will be encouraged to share their experiences related to the impact of guaranteed monthly income on the economic stability and mobility of their household, family dynamics, parenting, and other factors. Additional cash stipends will be offered to those participants who choose to participate in assessment activities,” the organization said.

For the selection, the family groups nominated were evaluated with gross income of 185% or less of the Federal Poverty Level, That is, with a monthly income of $3,551 dollars or less for households of 3 members or $42,606 dollars annually.

Finally, beneficiaries will be able to receive these stimulus checks without affecting other social assistance income. “The California Department of Social Services has provided a waiver that ensures that the guaranteed income payments they receive Sonoma PIE participants are excluded from the income eligibility calculation for CalFresh and CalWORKs”, the document highlighted.

Keep reading:

• How the U.S. government spends every dollar you pay in taxes
• $500 in stimulus checks: how to get them month by month
• $12,000 stimulus check: who can apply?