Nikki

Nikki is a mother to two children, who lives with her husband and kids in Illinois. Both she and her husband have graduate degrees in pharmacology. At the time, Nikki was working part-time because their daughter has a rare genetic disorder and caring for her prevents Nikki full-time work. Her husband had been the primary breadwinner but was unemployed at the time and they were experiencing a lot of financial uncertainty. When she first learned she would be receiving $1,000 per month she immediately knew she wanted to use the money to get her teeth fixed, which had been causing her pain and affecting her emotional well-being. After fixing her teeth, “the rest was just like a whole bunch of other things that brought us a lot of joy.” She used the $1,000 on psychotherapy to improve her mental health. She also used it to take courses in business marketing to facilitate a possible career change. 

By the end of the program, Nikki was working fewer hours at the pharmacy, which was a stressful job, and added a second job as an interpreter, which she loves. She is making more income than prior to the start of the program and is happier. “You know, it gave me help when I needed it.” Now that the program has ended she tells us, “I think I will have to, like fish my own fish, right? Like I have to come up with the money for a little extra. But I feel like I got equipped to do it. Like I've managed it well to where now, I can see the opportunities to make it happen.”