Addressing nutrition and food insecurity among black households in Georgia through guaranteed income

Equitable access to nutritious food is crucial for household health, yet racial disparities in food security persist, often driven by income and wealth inequalities. Guaranteed income programs, which offer regular cash transfers, may help address these disparities, although their impacts are not well understood. This study evaluated the In Her Hands program, a twenty-four-month guaranteed income pilot launched in 2022 that provided $20,400 to low-income Black women in Georgia. Drawing on two years of survey data, we observed significant improvements in measures of household food security, nutrition security, and perceived control over diet for the treatment group compared with a group that did not receive guaranteed income. For example, 40 percent of the treatment group reported high or marginal food security, whereas only 14 percent of the comparison group did so. We also found evidence that treatment effects for food security and meeting dietary healthfulness needs grew between the first and second years of the program. These findings suggest that guaranteed income programs can enhance food security and nutrition, addressing racial economic and health disparities.