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Tacoma's GRIT Initiative Coming to More Families This Year

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~ The City of Tacoma is expanding its Growing Resilience In Tacoma (GRIT) program, a guaranteed income demonstration, to reach more households this year. United Way of Pierce County will lead the program implementation, which is guided by recently published ALICE data showing that one in three Pierce County families make less income than needed to survive.

The first iteration of GRIT, which disbursed $500 a month to 110 Tacoma families from December 2021- December 2022, found that families were able to use the dollars to pay off debt, boost credit scores, move into secure housing, improve education and employment status, and relieve personal stress. With growing private, philanthropic and public support at the state level, GRIT has secured funding to deliver cash assistance to a new group of families in 2023 and 2024.

Mayor Victoria Woodards and Pierce County Council Chair Ryan Mello are founding members of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI) and Counties for a Guaranteed Income (CGI), respectively. They have been instrumental in securing additional funds for the continuation of the pilot program. State House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (27th Legislative District) has also shown leadership in getting state funding appropriated for the program to continue.

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"We are dedicated to investing directly in our community," said Woodards, Mello and Dona Ponepinto, President and CEO of United Way of Pierce County in a joint statement. "By continuing the GRIT program we intend to continue showing the life-changing impacts unrestricted cash support can have and advocating for the expansion of similar programs."

Quotes from actual GRIT participants demonstrate how beneficial this program has been: "I can breathe easier for a moment instead of worrying myself to death about money," said one participant. Another said: "GRIT has helped me in ways I didn't expect...It's changed my house for the better."

Program details for 2023 and 2024 are expected to be released soon. Updates and additional information can be found at uwpc.org/growing-resilience-tacoma-gritguaranteed-income-demonstration.

The City of Tacoma is partnering with key stakeholders in the community to extend its guaranteed income demonstration Growing Resilience In Tacoma (GRIT) this year. According to recently published ALICE data showing that one in three Pierce County families make less income than needed to survive, United Way of Pierce County will lead program implementation with growing private, philanthropic and public support at the state level securing funds for cash assistance delivery over two years.

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Mayor Victoria Woodards and Pierce County Council Chair Ryan Mello are founding members of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI) and Counties for a Guaranteed Income (CGI), respectively; they have been instrumental in securing additional funds for GRIT's continuation while State House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (27th Legislative District) has shown leadership in getting state funding appropriated as well.

"We are dedicated to investing directly in our community," said Woodards, Mello and Dona Ponepinto, President and CEO of United Way of Pierce County in a joint statement. "By continuing the GRIT program we intend to continue showing the life-changing impacts unrestricted cash support can have and advocating for the expansion of similar programs." Quotes from actual participants demonstrate how beneficial this program has been: "I can breathe easier for a moment instead of worrying myself to death about money," said one participant while another noted: "GRIT has helped me in ways I didn't expect...It's changed my house for the better." Program details are expected soon with updates available at uwpc.org/growing-resilience-tacoma-gritguaranteed-income-demonstration

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