We see and hear about people who are homeless and those who live in poverty. People in Shawano County will get a chance to experience that for themselves during the free Poverty Simulation on April 23.
“It started when community leaders talked about poverty in Shawano County,” said Nancy Schultz, University of Wisconsin-Extension family living educator.
Then Shawano Area Matthew 25 got involved along with the UW-Extension.
“SAM 25 members said they could help with this,” Schultz said. “Our goals and objectives were that we wanted to do a poverty simulation.”
It will be held from 5-8:30 p.m. at the Shawano Lake County Park Pavilion. It will begin with a discussion of poverty, followed by role playing. Each individual will be assigned to a family with differing circumstances and different income levels with instructions of what they are expected to accomplish. Agencies, such as Safe Haven and the Shawano Area Food Pantry and Resource Center, will offer their services at stations around the room.
“Families will get a packet to do four weeks in 15 minutes each,” Schultz said. “It becomes very frustrating for them.”
Schultz has not seen the simulation herself, but some of her colleagues have, telling her that it really opened their eyes.
“We are encouraging all community members to participate,” Schultz said. “We want to make people fully aware of the need of those who are living in poverty and to take action to help those in need.”
Future endeavors include a shelter and free clinic, along with a resource center since many people don’t know what support programs are available. Families need help especially in winter.
More than 48 million Americans live in poverty, with 16 million of them children under the age of 18, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In Shawano County, 20 percent of the more than 4,747 people living in poverty are children.
The simulation is free and is being sponsored by SAM25, Thrivent Financial and ThedaCare Physicians. SAM25 is providing the entire meal. Child care for children under 10 will be provided.
“Many hands are helping with this project,” Schultz said.
For information, contact Schultz at Nancy.Schultz@ces.uwex.edu or call 715-526-6136. RSVP by April 18.
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