The Center for American Progress reports in 2018, that Illinois has 12,503,720 people living in the state and 1,569,753 individuals (12.6%) living at or below the federal poverty guidelines.  The majority of these individuals are children and one in every six children in Illinois lives in poverty. The 2017 estimates for Montgomery County are even higher with 15.5% of people living at or below the federal poverty guidelines. 

It is difficult for those of us who have sufficient incomes to truly understand the situation that families living in poverty experience every day – the decisions they have to make and the fears and frustrations they feel.

That is why the local community leaders along with the University of Illinois Extension is offering the experience for participants to walk a mile in the shoes of those facing poverty by participating in the Poverty Simulation.

The simulation provides participants with the opportunity to assume the role of a low-income family member living on a limited budget.  The experience is divided into four 15-minute sessions, each of which represents one week in which you must provide for your family and maintain your home.  As one participant commented, “This welfare simulation dramatically demonstrates how much time and energy many families have to give just to survive from day to day!”

The simulation will be held from 9 am until 12 noon on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at Lincoln Land Community College, #1 Lincoln Land Drive, Litchfield, Illinois.  Space is limited, therefore to reserve a spot call 217-532-3941 by Wednesday, November 6, 2019.