CAPS (Community Action Poverty Simulation)

Rethink Poverty.

The Community Action Poverty Simulation is a tool that helps participants rethink the challenges that millions of low-income individuals face each and every day. More importantly, this tool helps people identify areas of change that can directly impact the effects of poverty on individuals, families and communities. This simulation directly relates how poverty can affect how patients seek and obtain medical care.

Despite the complexity of poverty, it is often portrayed as a stand-alone issue. This simulation allows individuals to walk a month in the shoes of someone who is facing poverty and realize how complex and interconnected issues of poverty really are, especially when it comes to receiving healthcare.

How The Simulation Works

The simulation involves participants who take on the roles of members of up to 26 families, all facing a variety of challenging, but typical, circumstances.

To start the simulation exercise, each family is given a card explaining its unique circumstances. It is then the families’ task to provide food, shelter, and other basic necessities by accessing various community resources during the course of four 15-minute “weeks.”

In addition, about 20 volunteers - preferably people who have experienced poverty - play the roles of resource providers in the community. This allows individuals who have firsthand knowledge of poverty bring their perceptions to the exercise.

The Community Action Poverty Simulation is conducted in a large room with participants seated in family groups and community resources located around the perimeter of the room. The facilitator opens the simulation with an orientation to the activity, goes over ground rules, and answers participant questions during the exercise.

The activity lasts about three hours. This time frame includes an introduction and briefing by the facilitator, the simulation exercise, and a guided debriefing in which participants and volunteers share their observations and insights from the activity.

Simulation Dates

2025

Location: East Dining Room

For any questions or interest regarding the above simulation please email:

Allyson Figlar ([email protected]), Vanessa Chaski ([email protected]) or Allie Mahoney ([email protected])