Poverty Simulation Success Story
Patricia Gorman and Madelyn Ridgeway

Need/Problem:
Approximately 1.1 billion people in this world live in extreme poverty, and 8 million people each year die because of shortages caused by the failures of their financial system. More importantly 262,013 or 9.1% of Iowans in 2002 were estimated to be in poverty. People in poverty face problems many middle class Americans only see on television. Lack of resources and knowledge can cause many Iowans in poverty to become frustrated and be seen in a negative light, and their actions misunderstood by the people trying to help them achieve a better life.

Response:
ISU Families Extension in Northeast Iowa collaborated with Operation Threshold and Opportunity Works to bring the plight of persons in poverty to the forefront of the human service workers, politicians, and policy makers that serve them on a daily basis. The Rowell Poverty Simulation provided its attendees the opportunity to walk a mile in the day of a person in poverty and experience the frustrations, anger and hurt someone in poverty often feels. At the same time, low income families were provided the opportunity to role play positions of authority that they often have to deal with each day.

Impact:
103 individuals participated as a member of a family in poverty and over 35 others staffed the Poverty Simulation’s tables or observed the day’s events. Evaluations showed that all of the participants felt that they understood more after attending the Poverty Simulation about:

• the financial pressures faced by low-income families,
• the difficult choices people with low resources need to make,
• the difficulties in improving one’s situation and becoming self-sufficient,
• the emotional stresses and frustrations caused by having limited resources, and
• the positive and negative impacts of “helpers” on people with limited resouces.
  

Contact:
Patricia K. Gorman
Field Specialist/Resource Management
Grundy County Extension
703 F Street Suite 1
Grundy Center, IA 50638
Phone 319-824-6979; Fax 319-824-6601
Email pgorman@iastate.edu

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