STORIES FROM ARISE
August 31, 2023: Alexandria Recurring Income for Success and Equity (ARISE) is the City of Alexandria’s guaranteed income pilot study, which began in February 2023. ARISE provides a $500.00 monthly payment to 170 randomly selected participants for 24 months with “no strings attached,” giving participants freedom to choose how to spend the money. Learn more about ARISE and find the answers to frequently asked questions.
This month, ARISE is introducing two Alexandrians at the six-month mark of the pilot program. Each participant shares a glimpse of what their life looks like now compared to six months ago. Have these individuals made changes? Are they simply a bit more comfortable living paycheck to paycheck? What aspects of their lives have changed from the guaranteed income?
The interviewees were delighted to share their experience with the program. Here are their inspiring stories.
ARISE Participant Interview: Michael
Michael* is a friendly, gregarious and hardworking single father of two young children. An immigrant from Ethiopia, he speaks in a gentle tone, which only accentuates the heartfelt words he uses to describe his gratitude for the City of Alexandria’s ARISE guaranteed income pilot program.
Prior to February 2023, Michael worked two jobs, with many days totaling 16 hours or more. He worked overnight at Walmart in addition to his main job for Amazon. To say he was exhausted would be an understatement. “I was working 50, 60, 70 hours a week. I would work, come home, sleep, and do the same thing the next day,” Michael said.
It took its toll on every aspect of his life. His health suffered; the exhaustion unbearable. With no hours left in the day, the grinding routine left little time to spend with his six-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. He also had no other childcare options available, so dropped off his children at a family member’s home any time he worked late shifts.
Since being randomly selected to participate in the ARISE pilot program six months ago and receiving a $500/month cash payment to use as he determines, Michael can now say he is not just surviving. He focuses on the Amazon job, which leaves him time to take care of himself and spend quality time with his children. When asked how his son and daughter feel about the change, Michael says with powerful emotion, “I feel my kids are finally getting to know me. They didn’t really know who I am. I was in another country for most of their lives, and when they came here, I was always working. Now, we can spend time truly getting to know each other.”
The 43-year-old has been living in the US for nine years, with his children joining him a year ago. As the immigration process took longer than anticipated, the twins and Michael’s wife had to remain in Ethiopia until paperwork was processed. The twins were approved to join him, and Michael is excited that his wife will be reunited with the family soon.
When Michael heard about the ARISE program, he applied almost on a whim. Being randomly selected, he was surprised how everything worked out. He says the $500 monthly payment has been life changing. “It’s a lot of money for me,” Michael adds.
“Now I can finally take classes and upgrade my career, so life can get even better,” shares Michael. He is interested in learning auto mechanics, gaining a certificate in health care, or learning IT skills. The goal is a more stable career — hopefully one not so physically taxing. He plans to explore the City’s Department of Health and Human Services Workforce Development Center programs. “I have time to think about my future. I have time to think about tomorrow. As long as I have good health, tomorrow will be fine,” Michael says with audible relief.
ARISE Participant Interview: Alma
Sometimes, help comes just in time and in the most unexpected ways. That’s how Alma describes her experience with ARISE. The single mother of two was skeptical when she applied for the program in 2022. She remembers someone casually remarking, “What if ARISE could be a way for the government to gather information on residents, not what they say it is?” But she decided it was worth exploring and was shocked to learn she was randomly selected. The help could not have come at a more opportune time.
Alma was born in the US and lived most of her childhood in Honduras until age 16. Not long after graduating high school, she got married. Alma and her husband divorced five years later, with her gaining full custody of her daughter, now 13, and son, now five. Life as a single mother is not easy, and Alma has more than her fair share of obstacles.
A part-time job as a receptionist means Alma’s income falls short of meeting her family’s needs, often leaving her to choose which daily expenses are most essential. She would work more hours if she could.
Alma lives with her mother, who has vision problems and recently had eye surgery. Alma takes her mother to the doctor regularly, and her mother is not the only one needing regular physician care. Her son, a playful and affectionate boy who randomly cuddled with his mom as she spoke about ARISE, has a speech impediment that requires treatment from a specialist to manage. And to complicate matters, Alma herself lives with a mostly untreated hernia.
Mindful of her surroundings and parenting challenges in general, Alma rarely leaves her children or her mother in the care of others. This further constrains her time, but the compromise is worth her peace of mind. “The apartment complex doesn’t feel safe anymore,” she says. “And my daughter is now a teenager and needs my attention. I’m not comfortable leaving her with strangers, and I don’t have any other family members who can pitch in to help with my kids or help my mom.”
When asked how her life looks different now, six months into the ARISE program, Alma shares that prior to the $500 monthly payments, working part-time meant she was constantly “in the hole.” Just in the past few weeks, the $500 monthly cushion has enabled Alma to take necessary days off to attend doctor appointments. Before, she had to decide between taking time off which translated to smaller paychecks, or someone going without a medical appointment. “Now I just make ends meet. I can purchase necessities when I need them. I don’t have to choose between taking a day off for doctor appointments or paying a bill,” Alma says.
Alma doesn’t pretend that $500 a month has provided her with a new lifestyle. "I am not where I want to be, but I am not where I used to be. Although I have not been able to save, I am not falling short in bills and am providing for my family. As a single mom taking care of my son with a speech disability and my sick mother, it would have been very difficult without this assistance from ARISE. In the future, I hope to save some money and have some set aside for my daughter's college.”
Alma’s life is not short of challenges. Yet, what’s remarkable about her is that there’s not an ounce of defeatism in her words. Simply put, Alma is the picture of tenacity and stoicism. “I know things will get better,” Alma avers. “I have faith.”
*The names have been changed to protect the participants' identity.