Poverty Simulation

Did you know that more than 51,000 people in the Tri-State area live below the poverty line?

Could you survive a month living in poverty?The Poverty Simulation breaks down stereotypes by allowing participants to step into the real life situations of others with a live-action simulation to role-play lives of low income families.Poverty is often portrayed as a stand alone issue - but this simulation allows individuals to walk a month in the shoes of someone who is facing poverty and realize how complex and interconnected issues of poverty really are. This simulation helps people understand the complexities and frustrations of living in poverty day to day.

Are you ready for a life-changing experience? 

• A single parent with limited resources and no transportation must find a way to get to work and get their child to daycare.
• An elderly couple must raise their grandchildren and deal with their own health and employment issues.
• A young adult must care for siblings while their parent is incarcerated. This activity helps people identify areas of change that can directly impact the effects of poverty on individuals, families and communities.

The Poverty Stimulation is captured in the experience is the role that the broader community plays in their interactions with low-income families. A poverty simulation isn’t a game – it is an opportunity to look at poverty through a different lens and begin the conversation on how to make a change in our community.

Sponsered by:

• Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion 

• Marshall University Intercultural Affairs

• Marshall University Department of Psychology