I get $500 monthly from a basic income program. The money helped me get through my husband's cancer diagnosis.

Sun, 03/24/2024 - 09:34

Lira Campbell, a beneficiary of Hudson's basic income program in upstate New York. — Lira Campbell, a beneficiary of Hudson, New York's basic income program.
Dorian Rhymaun.

Lira Campbell is getting $500 a month for 5 years from HudsonUP, a basic income program in New York.
She was selected for the basic income pilot after learning her husband had cancer.
She said the no-strings-attached money gave her room to breathe.

This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Lira Campbell, a 62-year-old widow in Hudson, New York who is receiving $500 monthly for five years from the town's basic income program. It has been edited for length and clarity.