United Way's Poverty Simulation is an immersive, hands-on experience that helps participants better understand the realities of living in poverty.
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The Poverty Simulation is a two- to four-hour facilitated experience that places participants in the role of a member of one of 26 fictional low-income families. Each family has its own unique circumstances, responsibilities, and challenges to navigate throughout the simulation.
As participants move through the experience, they’ll quickly discover that poverty isn’t simply about income — it’s about navigating systems, overcoming barriers, and making difficult decisions with limited resources.
Here’s what to expect:
👨👩👧 You’ll become a member of a fictional family facing financial hardship. Each family has different circumstances, from employment and childcare responsibilities to health concerns and housing challenges.
📅 The simulation unfolds over four 15-minute “weeks,” representing one month. Throughout each week, unexpected events, setbacks, and opportunities require your family to make difficult choices while trying to meet everyone’s basic needs.
🏦 With a limited income, your family will visit banks, schools, grocery stores, employers, government offices, social agencies, and other community services in an effort to secure food, housing, transportation, childcare, and other essentials.
💬 Following the simulation, participants come together for a guided debrief to reflect on their experiences, discuss what surprised them, and connect their learnings to the realities faced by many people in our community.
Step into someone else's shoes and experience the emotional, financial, and systemic challenges that people living in poverty face every day.
Explore how barriers such as limited income, transportation, childcare, housing, and access to services can impact every decision a family makes.
Gain a deeper understanding of how United Way and its agency partners help individuals and families overcome barriers — and discover how you can be part of creating lasting change.
Whether you're looking to engage your workplace, strengthen your team's understanding of social issues, or inspire meaningful conversations, the Poverty Simulation is a powerful experience that leaves a lasting impact.
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Trained volunteers play the roles of employers, teachers, police officers, grocery clerks, bankers, social service providers, government employees, and other community members that participants interact with throughout the experience. As a volunteer, you'll help participants navigate the systems and services that families experiencing poverty encounter every day.
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