Jolene Jachetta
Jolene and her family.
Jolene Jachetta has been a DBIP participant since 2022. After years of chronic homelessness, she now has stability and a home for her family. Jolene and her partner Gary had been homeless since 2015, a situation that affected their children, including their 2-year-old son, Kai.
“One of the biggest struggles for me was finding like a bathroom or someplace to wash up and Kai was just a year old at the time, and it was really hard [...] It took a toll on me emotionally.”
Their lives improved after they received an initial payment of $6,500 in November 2022, followed by monthly payments of $1,000 for the remaining 11 months, totaling $12,000. She used the money to get an apartment, purchase Christmas gifts for her children, and improve her credit score.
Research from the Denver Basic Income Project found that Group B, which Jolene is part of, doubled their ability to pay all bills. Jolene hopes to continue raising her kids in a stable home thanks to the program.
“It feels wonderful, it is a relief.”
