NPR.
A couple of years ago, Mariah Rodriguez was forced to move out of her apartment in Denver, Colorado.
It was October, and because Mariah didn't have another place of her own to go, she and her kids suddenly found themselves homeless.
I just kept applying to whatever I could, you know what I mean?
Any resources, anything.
I was up early in the morning just nonstop trying to figure out what was my next move.
One night the five of them would crash at her parents.
The next they'd stay at a motel.
I was just trying to keep it together for them.
But inside, like breaking down, you know, I just remember like sitting in the car praying, you know, asking God, like, help me because I don't know what to do.
Then Mariah got a call that kind of changed her life.
Her daughter heard about this local nonprofit that was offering $1,000 a month, no strings attached.
So she looked into it.
It was just like were going to give you money and then you do a survey every month and we pay you for the survey.
And im like, what?
You know, im like, this isnt real.
But it was real.
This is the indicator from planet money.
Im Waylon Wong.
Adrienne and I'm Adrian Ma.