Many people across the United States decided to redistribute money that they received through coronavirus stimulus payments to different organizations and ones in need. Aid package that is referred to as "stimulus" for some people is actually more of an "income support program" for others.
NBC reported Gionni Pounce and her husband received $2,400 that they were not expecting and do not need it. She said they have a secure job that allowed them to work from home. "We don't have any major problems making our ends meet," she added. Ponce who is a fiction writer and her husband decided to donate half of their stimulus checks to different organizations. She decided to contribute to We Need Diverse Books, the Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund and Lambda Literary.
The group called Resource Generation is conducting #ShareMyCheck campaign that represents how and where people are donating their stimulus checks. The group believes that a lot of people do not need stimulus check for economic survival. "Pledging to redistribute this check to poor and working-class led social justice communities and organizations is one way we can support economic and racial justice right now," read their tweet on April 8.
Others who donated stimulus checks
Sari Kamin who works as a public program manager at Museum of Food and Drink in New York says it is very difficult to read stories about people who are not receiving regular paychecks as they lost their jobs. She donated her entire stimulus check to five different organizations and the museum she works in.
Dena Smith from Seneca, South Carolina sent $500 checks to two of her friends. One friend is a waiter at Charleston who is not able to work as restaurants are restricted to operate during the outbreak. Another friend has a business of home repairs who is not getting any work during the pandemic.
Finance and economic experts say households that are financially well-positioned and want to help those in need can do charity to local food banks or groups who are battling against the pandemic like CDC Foundation. Greg McBride, the chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com, said if consumers are working and their needs are still being met, it is the right time they should invest this money in their emergency saving account if they don't have one.
