Helsinki found a ROI and savings in spending when it provided homeless population housing and stipends.
Now, a non profit in Vancouver, Foundations for Social Change awarded a group of homeless people a cash payment of $7500 each.
This is what they learned:
- 70% became food secure after a month
- 52% of the cash on food and rent
- 15% on other items like bills and medicine
- 16% on clothes and transportation
- a reduction by 39% spending on alcohol, cigarettes and drugs
Other cities piloting cash intervention pilots for the homeless populations: Stockton, California, & Jackson, Mississippi
The Independent (the UK ) | A Canada charity gave $7,500 to homeless people, here’s what happened