HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The United Way and Resilience Reno County invite members of the community to participate in an event to help build a stronger Reno County. The "Welcome to the State of Poverty" simulation will be October 11th. Participants can choose from either of two opportunities, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Pavilion located at Hutchinson Regional Healthcare Center.
Thirteen percent of Reno County residents live in poverty each day. Many more have incomes above the poverty line, but their incomes are still low enough that they can’t afford basic needs like food, decent housing, or quality childcare. It is difficult for those who have enough to truly understand the situations that families living in poverty experience every day, the decisions they have to make, and the fears and frustrations they feel.
Every citizen of Reno County has a role to play in creating opportunities for employment, helping to close the achievement gap for school children, and encouraging adults to re-invest in their own education. This experience is designed to increase social awareness of what living in poverty feels like and help participants understand the barriers faced by a typical low-income family trying to survive from month to month.
In addition to assuming the roles of different families facing poverty during the simulation, participants will also hear first-hand the realities faced on a day-to-day basis. It is a "walk-a-mile-in-my-shoes" experience.
The simulation requires a group of 80 people to assume the roles of families living in poverty. The goal for each family is to survive for one month, which takes place in four 15-minute "weeks". During this time, the family must maintain secure shelter, pay utilities, be fed, make loan payments, meet living expenses, and keep children in school, all while subsisting at or below the poverty level.
Participation is free, but registration is required. Since the simulation is based on a variety of family scenarios, participants will become a "family member" when they RSVP. A light lunch/dinner will be provided.