Two Chicago mothers speak out about the rising cost-of-living, the struggle of parenting and working during a pandemic, and why more support in the form of cash is needed.
By Sarah Conway, Leslie Hurtado, J. Patrick Patterson, Francisco Saúl Ramírez Pinedo, Brian Young Jr. and City Bureau
Art: Ellie Mejía for City Bureau
The COVID-19 pandemic hit women particularly hard. They were more likely to lose jobs or quit, and to shoulder the demands of childcare when schools closed. Despite the economic rebound, women are still struggling. The high cost of food and fuel, which is being coined as a “cost-of-living crisis,” may further widen the gender gap in the labor force.
When Chicago opened up applications for its guaranteed income pilot program, 70 percent of the 176,000 people who applied were women, including many who identified as a parent or caretaker, according to the city of Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services.
The program, which ultimately selected 5,000 participants, offered $500 per month for a year with no strings attached. The majority of those selected started receiving payments in early July.
City Bureau reporters spoke with two Chicago mothers who applied for the city’s guaranteed income program — one who was selected and one who wasn’t — to better understand how the rise in inflation and the ongoing pandemic has impacted them. Both requested we only use their first names because of the stigma associated with welfare programs. Here are the stories, in their words, as told to the reporters. The interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Yessenia, 31, Avondale, mother of two children
Occupation: Release of information specialist
Receiving cash assistance? Yes
I have been struggling financially for quite some time. Due to the pandemic, my work with third-party medical records slowed down. My coworkers and I were laid off for about a month.
When I was laid off, I was actually using my credit cards to pay for everything that needed to be bought. I was struggling financially and mentally. I didn’t take losing my job so well because I didn’t know what would happen. There is a lot of stress that comes with worrying about money. Thankfully, I go to therapy because there are days when I can't sleep because I’m just worrying about how to come up with the money to pay the bills.
When I was brought back, my position changed a couple of times. You can feel the rise in costs at the grocery store. Right now, $150 on groceries covers the bare minimum for us. Before, I’d spend about $100 per week for me and my two daughters, and I was able to buy produce and meat. Now, it is just stuff to get by.
I quit my job because I'm getting married and my fiancé is temporarily taking care of us.
The guaranteed income program is awesome but, unfortunately, only 5,000 of us were able to get through to benefit from it. I just got my second deposit from the city and it’s helped. I’ve bought household things and paid off some debt from buying things on my credit card during my unemployment. Five hundred dollars each month is great, but with inflation, it is not enough for many of us. But beggars can’t be choosers, and even this amount still helps.
I think this should be a permanent program because it will benefit a lot of people. Everyone struggling here should have access to the program. I want the city to use its funding for a program like this because this will help Chicagoans in the long run.
Mary, 47, Avondale, mother of three children
Occupation: Homecare nurse
Receiving cash assistance? No
For me, the pandemic has been utterly impossible – that’s the only way to describe it.
I'm a single mother and three years ago I went through a really bad domestic violence relationship. I do my best to make ends meet but finding a way to work and balance childcare in the pandemic has been my biggest struggle. I don’t have money for a babysitter and I have no family to help with childcare so everything falls on me. If they're not in school, I can’t work — it’s that simple.
Every time my kids’ school would close to quarantine I had to stay home, so I got backed up on my bills. Not only did I have to be a mother, but I also had to be a teacher during homeschooling and still be a caregiver for my clients. One time, I only went to work four times in one month because I had to watch my children.
Everything is going up in price, especially gas. I’m an in-house, homecare nurse and I need gas so I can go to clients’ houses and it’s been more expensive but I really wouldn’t change my job for anything. I love seeing how happy my clients are in their own homes, living on their own instead of in a nursing home.
It takes a lot out of me when I have to go ask somebody for help because I've always done it on my own. I pay my rent weekly because I can't afford to pay it monthly and, sometimes, I can't even do that. It's really hard to keep up with bills and everything.
That was the reason why I applied for the guaranteed income program. If I was chosen, I would have used the money to pay our utilities or to put gas in the car so I can go to work. Maybe, I would use it toward my rent or just to wash clothes. I thought about hiring a babysitter with some of the money so I could work more on the weekends.
The way I see it, the cash from the city is just temporary to help me find a way to get ahead so in the long run I can provide for my family. It would have given me immediate relief, but I wouldn't depend on it because I'm a very independent person. If I can work, I'm going to do it. I'd rather work and get my money.
Sarah Conway is City Bureau’s senior reporter covering jobs and the economy of survival in Chicago. Leslie Hurtado, J. Patrick Patterson, Francisco Saúl Ramírez Pinedo and Brian Young Jr. are 2022 Summer Civic Reporting Fellows. You can reach Sarah at sarah@citybureau.org.
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