When I was accepted into the Baltimore Young Families Success Fund guaranteed income program in 2022, I did not realize how deeply it would impact my life. I thought it might help me stay afloat, but what it really gave me was space to breathe, reflect and begin again.

At the time, my world felt like it was caving in. I was driving for a delivery app all day, sometimes into the night, barely making enough after gas and expenses. I often skipped meals just to make sure my kids had enough to eat. Bills piled up, and my mental health began to spiral. I was constantly choosing between being a provider and being present, and I was losing in both roles.

Imagine this: driving all day with an empty stomach and a gas tank almost empty. Picking your kids up with a fake smile while your mind races, wondering how you will feed them tonight. That was my everyday reality.

The guaranteed income payments did more than help me catch up. They gave me breathing room and real choices. I was already working hard, delivering for the app every day, doing my best to provide for my family. I had my own income, but after paying for gas, car maintenance and daily expenses, there was very little left. I was exhausted, stretched thin and still falling behind.

That extra support allowed me to take steps I could not afford before. It gave me the strength and financial cushion to leave a dangerous relationship. Without the guaranteed income, I might have stayed longer. Not because I wanted to, but because starting over with nothing felt impossible. Staying meant continuing to live in a home where I was not safe. I was constantly trying to keep the peace, constantly walking on edge, constantly hiding the truth from my children. I worried every day about what they were seeing and how it might affect them. I knew I needed to get out, but I also knew I needed a plan and a foundation to land on.

Guaranteed income gave me that. It allowed me to move forward with purpose and clarity. I could provide meals without asking for help. I could finally sleep without fear. That support did more than just stabilize my situation; it changed the direction of my life. With that steady support, I finally had the courage and financial means to leave the dangerous relationship. For the first time in a long time, I could afford the basics without sacrificing my children’s well-being. I could say yes to warm meals, new shoes and even shampoo. That kind of dignity matters more than people realize.

If it were not for those monthly payments, I might still be stuck. Not just financially, but emotionally and mentally. The support allowed me to imagine a life beyond survival.

I knew it would not last forever, but instead of panicking, I used the time to build. I went back to school and earned my bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing. I graduated in June 2024. That was something I had put off for years while raising my kids and struggling to make ends meet. Now I am pursuing my master’s degree in project management.

I also started working for a nonprofit that protects children from exploitation. The work is personal. As someone who has survived difficult things, I understand how life-changing the right support can be. That is why I created a program of my own, which helps survivors gain the skills and tools to build businesses and reclaim their futures. One day, I hope to turn it into a full nonprofit.

My final check from the program came last year, but the momentum has not stopped. I am current on all my bills. I am working. I am learning. I am growing. And I am parenting with more peace than I have known in years. I have experienced the complexity of public assistance programs like Temporary Cash Assistance, which often come with red tape and judgment. Guaranteed income was different. It trusted me to know what I needed most, and that trust made all the difference.

Guaranteed income did more than just pay my bills. It restored my sense of control. It gave me the power to imagine a future again and then start building it.

Zaaear Pack is a mother, a Baltimore native, an entrepreneur and founder of Rise and Thrive, a healing-centered program that teaches survivors of human trafficking how to become entrepreneurs.