YALift!

Young Adult Louisville Income for Transformation

Metro United Way is committed to finding innovative solutions to long-term problems in our region so that we have thriving kids, strong households, and an equitable community. In partnership with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI) and Russell: A Place of Promise, Metro United Way brought this innovative approach to Louisville to focus on the economic stability of young adults, at a time data shows they feel more disconnected than ever. MGI’s research in other cities across the country has shown that direct cash assistance programs demonstrate many positive benefits including reduced income volatility, increased overall wellbeing, and increased participation in the workforce – which benefits our entire community.

In 2022, our YALift! pilot program was launched and invested in 151 young adults – aged 18-24 years old – in the Smoketown, Russell, and California neighborhoods. They received $500 monthly for one year, totaling $6,000.

Participants Lived in 3 Louisville Neighborhoods which are Areas of Concentrated Poverty

OUR Participants

 


Average Age
21 years old
Average Household Income
$15,648 per year
Average Household Size
3 household members

  • Race and Ethnicity

    • 86% Black/African American, non-Hispanic
    • 7% White, non-Hispanic
    • 6% Two or more races
    • 3% Hispanic/Latino of any race

  • Utility Debt

    44% Carrying utility debt

  • Sex

    62% Female
    38% Male

  • Public Benefit Use

    35% Use public benefits

  • Food Insecurity

    79% Food insecure during the last month

  • Paid or Unpaid Work

    51% Engaging in work

 

OUR RESULTS

RECIPIENTS OF THE PROGRAM WERE:

  • 3x more likely

    to be able to afford a $400 emergency expense

  • 32% more likely

    to report working full time

  • 70% less likely

    to have been evicted

  • 50% pursued education or training

    with their income

Read Full Evaluation Report

“The program helped me to walk into my purpose, by starting up my business and serving in the communities that come from similar backgrounds like myself. I pray you all continue to bless young adults with opportunities to make a change in their lives.”
-YALIFT! PARTICIPANT

Next Steps

  • We invite you to join us and invest in direct cash assistance programming as we explore future pilots or initiatives that provide this type of assistance.
  • Join us in continued conversations about how you or your organization can support programmatic and policy work for direct cash assistance as we continue convening our community to explore, test, and scale innovative solutions that build pathways from poverty to prosperity. 
  • Share the results of this pilot with your network to educate others on the benefits of these types of approaches!

Partners:

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