Poverty Simulation - February 10

Poverty affects more than income—it shapes choices, limits opportunities, and impacts every area of life. Many of us want to make a difference but have never truly experienced the stress, frustration, and systemic barriers that millions of families face daily. The Poverty Simulation bridges that gap by helping participants move from sympathy to empathy—and from awareness to action.

A Poverty Simulation is a facilitated two-hour immersive experience designed to create awareness among participants of life at the bottom rung of the economic ladder. Participants are assigned to “families” who do their best to survive week-to-week over a simulated one-month period. The simulation presents participants with real-life scenarios and challenges faced by people living in poverty.

This is a full two-hour event, and it’s important that participants are checked in and ready to begin at the scheduled start time, as the experience builds from the very first moment. The exercise is immediately followed by a group debrief, during which participants reflect on the experience, discuss insights, and consider next steps.