Simulation Gives Participants a Glimpse into the Lives of Struggling Neighbors
The unemployment rate remains high. Local families continue to struggle. Nearly 30,000 Central Oregonians are living at or below the federal poverty live. Tens of thousands more are struggling to meet financial obligations each and every month. Yet, the vast majority of Central Oregonians have no idea what it is like to struggle at that level.
Partnership to End Poverty is facilitating a Community Action Poverty Simulation on Sunday, April 29 at the United Methodist Church of Bend. The Simulation provides participants with the opportunity to assume the role of a low-income family member living on a limited budget. The experience is divided into four 15-minute sessions, each of which represents one week in which participants must provide for their family and maintain their home.
“It is difficult for those of us who have enough to truly understand the situations and decisions families living in poverty face every day,” says Sarah Holtzclaw, deputy director with Partnership to End Poverty. “This simulation is based on real life situations. It’s not a game. It’s a simulation and has the power to truly open the eyes of the participants.”
Using Community Action Poverty Simulation kit, participants role-play the lives of low-income families. Some are TANF recipients; some are seniors living on Social Security; some have infants while others have teenagers; most have a part-time or full time job. Each has the stressful task of providing food and shelter for their family, regardless of their make-up. They interact with employers, grocers, social service providers, bill collectors and police officers.
The Poverty Simulation is open to the public, but reservations are required. It will take place at the United Methodist Church of Bend on Bond Street, downtown. It begins at 11am on Sunday, April 29. To reserve a spot, please call Partnership to End Poverty at 541-504-1389.
The Partnership to End Poverty is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to reducing poverty in Central Oregon, long term. The Partnership collaborates with Central Oregon’s wide range of socially conscious organizations (nonprofit-, business- and government-, faith based- and education-oriented), with the goal of achieving more poverty reduction together than it could working alone. www.partnershiptoendpoverty.org.
