Poverty Simulation
Upcoming Class - The Community Action Poverty Simulation
The Community Action Poverty Simulation is an immersive experience designed to deepen participants' understanding of the daily challenges faced by individuals living in poverty.? By simulating a month in the life of a low-income family, participants gain firsthand insight into the difficult decisions and constant stress that accompany financial hardship.? This simulation encourages empathy and a re-evaluation of preconceived notions about poverty by confronting participants with scenarios that highlight the complexity of living with limited resources.? The experience fosters a greater appreciation of the resilience required to navigate such circumstances and inspires a more compassionate approach to addressing poverty in our communities.
- When: Wednesday, July 16, 2025
- Time: 1:00 p.m. (for volunteers); 1:30 p.m. (for participants) -4:30 p.m.?
- Where: EE Butler Center, 1400 Athens St., Gainesville, GA 30507
- Who: Anyone who wishes to deepen their understanding
- Spaces: 17 volunteers to be community agencies in the simulation; 65 participants to be the families and individuals who walk in the shoes of people who are in poverty
If you are interested in participating or need more information, contact Kyndra Cohen, kyndra.cohen@gcssk12.net
For additional details, you can also contact Gwen Hawn, gwendolyn.hawn@uga.edu

The Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) is a unique tool that?can be?used to educate everyone, from policy makers to local community leaders, about the typical strategies of a low-income family trying to survive, day to day, with a shortage of money and an abundance of stress.?It is a?simulation, not a game.? The object is to sensitize participants to the hardships faced by real people. In post-experience surveys, over 85% of participants reported an above average or high level of increased knowledge about the financial pressures faced by low-income families in meeting basic needs.
The experience lasts approximately?three hours.? It includes an introduction and briefing, the actual simulation exercise, and a debriefing period at the end of the simulation, in which?A?MINIMUM of?25 participants and?19 volunteer staffers?share their feelings and experiences and talk about what they have learned about the lives of people in poverty.?
The simulation must be conducted in a large room where participants will be assigned a "family" to join in the center.? Around the perimeter are tables representing community resources and services for the families.? These services include a bank, super center, Community Action Agency, employer, utility company, pawn broker, grocery, school, and more.?Participants assume the roles of different families facing poverty.? Some families are newly unemployed, some are recently deserted by the "breadwinner," some are homeless, while still others are grandparents raising their grandchildren.??
The task of the participant "families" is to provide for basic necessities, shelter, transportation and education during the course of four 15-minute "weeks."
CAPS is a copyrighted tool made available by the Missouri Association for Community Action to organizations that want to promote a greater understanding of poverty.