MidHudson News is reporting more than 4,200 residents of Ulster County have applied for its fledgling Universal Basic Income pilot program. The program, which is part of the county's Project Resilience to provide funding for families in need, will guarantee 100 families a $500 check every month for a year. The county is partnering with the University of Pennsylvania on the project. The university will choose the first group of participants by way of a lottery system while an additional 100 individuals will be part of a control group, said County Executive Patrick Ryan. “It is, I think, absolutely heartbreaking that we have so many folks in such great need, and I know there are many more out there, who could use this help,” he said. “We know how many even before the pandemic were living paycheck to paycheck, far too many. So, this is a small step to address that.” The first checks should go out to the selected families in May. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.