POVERTY SIMULATION

 Will you start the month with only $10 to meet your family's basic needs?
 
If so, you may be one of the lucky ones.
 
What is a poverty simulation?

    
The Community Action Poverty Simulation is a learning tool created to help people understand the realities of poverty. During a simulation, participants role-play the lives of low-income families. Some participants are employed, some disabled, some are using public assistance, and some are senior citizens on Social Security. Participants have the stressful tasks of providing for basic necessities and shelter on a limited budget. They interact with human services agencies, grocers, pawnbrokers, bill collectors, employers, police officers, and others.
 
The simulation enables participants to look at poverty from a variety of angles and then to recognize and discuss the potential for change within their community. The simulation was designed to sensitize those who frequently deal with low-income families, as well as to create a broader awareness of the realities of poverty among policymakers, community leaders, and others.
   

Above: A St. X student completes a job application during the March 2007 Poverty Simulation.

This workshop is conducted for nearly 400 juniors each year.

     
Why participate in a poverty simulation?
 
Poverty is a major issue in Jefferson County, and we can't address issues of homelessness without first discussing poverty - how it's created, how it's perpetuated, and what we can do about it.
 
How long does it take to participate in a poverty simulation?
 
Poverty simulations typically last from 2.5 to 3 hours. This includes a period of introduction and instructions to the simulation, approximately one (1) hour, 15 minutes for the simulation itself, and a debriefing period to reflect on the experience, evaluate it, and discuss action steps participants can take once they leave the simulation.
 
How many people can participate in a poverty simulation?
 
To run an effective simulation, you must have a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 86 participants in your group.
 
How do I schedule a poverty simulation for my group?

Contact Becki Winchel, Poverty Simulation Coordinator at (502) 502-636-9550 x 13 or email her at bwinchel@louhomeless.org
 

What does it cost to host a poverty simulation?  

The Coalition for the Homeless does not charge for conducting poverty simulations, however, there are costs to The Coalition for this program of over $20,000 per year.  Therefore, we ask that you consider making a donation to The Coalition for the Homeless for this service.  Many local businesses and banks will also agree to sponsor your organization’s poverty simulation.  If you are interested in asking an organization to do so, please let us know and we will provide materials you can share with these businesses about the benefits.  We will also make sure they receive documentation of the donation for tax purposes.

     
Read a Participant's Reaction to the Simulation
 
Thanks to Nikki Johnson at Metro United Way who shared her thoughts about the poverty simulation with co-workers and staff at the Coalition and allowed us to share her letter.
 
The Coalition for the Homeless conducted a Poverty Simulation at Metro United Way attended by approximately 40 community leaders including representatives from the Board of Directors for the Coalition for the Homeless, other homeless service organizations, the Louisville Free Public Library, Louisville Metro Human Services, and Metro United Way.
 
Friends, to those of you that have had the opportunity to experience the Poverty Simulation, all I can say is, WOW! It is amazing the situations and circumstances that occur that put people like you and me in these positions. We ought to be grateful each and every day for the blessings we have. Ask one of the participants - she can tell you after 45 minutes she was ready for a drink - see how other issues grow from this!
 
If you have not experienced this simulation, you really need to sign up for one. This activity makes you think on your feet in ways you wouldn't believe; it makes you want to scream; it makes you want to take action.
 
That is the key - TAKE ACTION!
 
Learn something, feel something - acknowledge to yourself that in reality any one of these poverty stricken people could be someone we know or even ourselves. Let's face it - we have to be proactive in making a difference. It takes things other than money - like caring, compassion, and understanding to truly grasp the everyday struggles that many men, women and children face each day in our community.
 
I CHALLENGE you all to give it a try. Your understanding of why people do, say or feel like they do will definitely change. Frustration, desperation, isolation and others' ignorance CAN and WILL take its toll on a person, who is JUST trying to survive.
 
POWERFUL, really POWERFUL!
 
Share Your Thoughts
 
If you have some thoughts on poverty or homelessness you want to share, please email bwinchel@louhomeless.org or mail your letter to the Coalition for the Homeless, 1300 South 4th Street, Suite 250, Louisville, Kentucky 40238. Please be sure to include your name, address and phone number or email, so you may be contacted for any necessary clarifications.