Community Action Poverty Simulation at FCC
The FCC Center for Student Engagement, in partnership with The United Way of Frederick County, is co-sponsoring The Missouri Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week on Friday, November 20, 2009, at 9:30 a.m. in the Fieldhouse.
The simulation was designed to help people better understand the realities and frustrations of living in poverty. Participants role play the lives of low-income families over four “15-minute weeks” during which they interact with human service agencies, grocers, pawnbrokers, bill collectors, job interviewers, police officers, and others. The experience includes an introduction and briefing, the actual simulation exercise, and a debriefing period in which participants and volunteer staffers discuss what they have learned about people in poverty.
“About 80 FCC students will participate in the simulation, including students visiting from Washington College [Chestertown, Md.] and student representatives from the Frederick County Service Learning Advisory Board,” said Jeanni Winston-Muir, director of the FCC Center for Student Engagement.
Representatives from many Frederick community agencies will demonstrate their services during the simulation while interacting with the “families” role playing lives in crisis. Rick Weldon, president and CEO from United Way of Frederick County will be facilitating the simulation with participation from Kate Palmisano, executive director of CALM, Inc. (The Frederick Community Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center), and Professors Kelly Trigger, from FCC, and Ryan Kelty, from Washington College.
The Missouri Association for Community Action is a network of 19 community action agencies throughout the state that provides a variety of services to low-income individuals and families. The association created and shares the CAPS learning tool to help people “walk a mile in the shoes” of those who struggle to survive homelessness, unemployment, low incomes, and the stress of providing for basic necessities and shelter on a limited budget. The simulation was designed to sensitize those who frequently deal with low-income families as well as to create a broader awareness of poverty among policymakers, community leaders, and citizens.
FCC faculty and staff are invited to observe the simulation.
