Walking in Their Shoes: United Way of Cass-Clay Hosts Poverty Simulation

Participants took on roles of people who were afflicted with poverty in their lives

FARGO, N.D. — Several community members took part in a simulation to understand the effects of poverty firsthand.

United Way of Cass–Clay divided people at Microsoft in Fargo into several groups to act out family roles in a poverty simulation.

The groups went through four fifteen–minute intervals meant to illustrate what people go through if they are living on a tight budget.

Organizers say the event opens the eyes of people to experience different perspectives in their community.

“Empathy is what really creates change, so if people can empathize and truly understand the struggles that people face living at the poverty level, that allows us as a community to move forward with solutions and also the dedication to insure that we can lift people out of poverty,” said Kristina Hein, the Marketing Manager for United Way of Cass-Clay.

The scenarios acted out were based on stories told to Community Action Partnership workers across the country.