. >> reporter: amy castro is the co-founder for the income research at the university of pennsylvaniae says the data shows unconditional cash can create stability. >> what happens if we create this floor that people know that they're not going to fall through? do they then take bigger risks? do they set goals? >> reporter: bella's goal is to finish her master's degree, the money means she can also work fewer hours. >> not only can i be with him more, i can go to school. >> reporter: to qualify for the government funded program applicants had to prove their income was at or below 50% of the poverty guidelines. their income had to be less than $58,000 a year. the program was capped at around 3,000 beneficiaries but tens of thousands of people applied. >> so many people applied for so few spots. what does that tell you about the need in cook county? >> that there is a great need. it's not just cook county it's across the state and country. i want our program to be part of the national conversation about guaranteed income at the federal level. it's the federal government that has the rele