Chelsea Eats
Chelsea Eats was a guaranteed income pilot launched by the City of Chelsea, Massachusetts in fall 2020 in partnership with the Shah Family Foundation, United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Beth Israel, funded by a mix of city funds, federal CARES Act dollars, and philanthropic contributions. It provided reloadable Visa debit cards worth $200-$400 per month (based on household size) to 2,213 low-income Chelsea households selected by weighted lottery from over 3,600 applicants. It was designed and evaluated by Harvard Kennedy School researcher Jeffrey Liebman and the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston as a randomized controlled trial, becoming one of the largest guaranteed income RCTs conducted in the United States.
COVID-19 relief, RCT, Debit card, Food security, Health outcomes study, Largest GI pilot to date
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- City of Chelsea
- City
- Chelsea
- State / Province
- Massachusetts
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://www.chelseama.gov/
- Phone
- +1 617 466 4100
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 2,213
- Funding type
- Government, Philanthropic, Research Pilot
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 3,600 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 400 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 9 months
- Distribution Type
- Debit Card
- Benefit details
Cards were loaded monthly for up to 9 months (extended from an initial 6-month plan), with amounts varying by household size: $200/month for one-person households, $300/month for two-person households, and $400/month for larger households. Cards were issued in partnership with Visa and usable anywhere Visa is accepted, with about 73% of spending occurring at food-related businesses. First disbursement occurred just before Thanksgiving 2020.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible individuals and families had to live in Chelsea and have a household income below 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI). People in greater need or higher-risk situations - including caregivers, people with disabilities, and those ineligible for other food assistance programs - were given additional lottery tickets to improve their odds. Recipients were selected via a weighted lottery from 3,615 households that applied; 2,213 were chosen. Many residents were also motivated by inability to access other pandemic relief such as stimulus checks or expanded unemployment due to immigration status.
Demographics
- Language
- English, Spanish
Family
- Caregiver status
- Caregiver for Elderly, Caregiver for Person with Disability
Health
- Health conditions
- COVID-19
Financial
- Income as % of Area Median Income
- 302,020 %
Geography
- US states covered
- Massachusetts
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Chelsea
- Counties covered
- Suffolk
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
The program was designed and evaluated as a randomized controlled trial by Harvard Kennedy School professor Jeffrey Liebman and the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston (Taubman Center), with lottery losers serving as the control group. Six rounds of participant surveys (online or phone, in English and Spanish) were conducted alongside analysis of administrative data on card spending, school attendance, and health care utilization. Published findings (including a JAMA article and NBER working paper) found a statistically significant 27% reduction in emergency department visits, improved diet quality/quantity, reduced financial distress and food insecurity, and no reduction in employment or labor force participation among recipients; self-reported physical/mental health showed no significant change.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications were accepted during a defined window in 2020; eligible Chelsea residents applied for entry into a weighted lottery (with extra entries for higher-need applicants such as caregivers and people with disabilities). Selected applicants were notified and issued reloadable Visa debit cards, with the first disbursement made in November 2020.
- Selection process
Recipients were chosen via a weighted lottery from among 3,615 applicant households; higher-need applicants (e.g., caregivers, people with disabilities, those ineligible for other food assistance) received additional lottery tickets to increase their chances of selection. 2,213 households were selected to receive the cards.
