Our Eyes Were Opened: The Experience of Poverty

On February 28, 2012, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina co-sponsored a poverty simulation with The Cooperative Ministry held at NorthStar Christian Center in Columbia. Facilitated by Beth Templeton of United Ministries, the poverty simulation provided participants who came from locations across the state with a deeper understanding of the day-to-day realities facing individuals and families experiencing poverty.

The poverty simulation could not have been timelier. Based on the most recent data available through the KIDSCOUNT Data Center, South Carolina has the 7th highest poverty rate in the nation, with 18% of the population with incomes below the federal poverty level. In 2010, a family of two adults and two children fell in the “poverty” category if their annual income fell below $22,113. Imagine living on an income of less than $22,113 for a family of four. That’s exactly what participants were asked to do in the poverty simulation. 
 

As part of the poverty simulation, each participant was assigned to a family based on real-life scenarios that every day people encounter. As the weeks passed during the simulation, participants felt a growing sense of desperation, anger, frustration and heartache as they realized their families many needs could not be met within the month. Some participants were forced to choose between purchasing weekly groceries, rent or making payment on a loan to the bank for a car that no longer worked. Some participants lost their employment due to an unexpected illness, having to take care of other family responsibilities or the inflexibility to access services outside of their work day. Some families had to leave their children at home unattended in order to tend to other competing, more pressing family responsibilities. Some participants needed specific job skills while others needed a better education in order to be employed. Even some with employable skills found that there were no jobs available or lacked transportation to get to work. Some started out homeless, while others lost their housing throughout the course of the month. Some were elderly and remained unnoticed by the community around them. 

Throughout the course of the poverty simulation, only a few families managed to move ahead. It was difficult for most to overcome their presenting situations, given the limited resources available based on their various family starting points. Most of us forget how many resources it takes to truly move out of poverty, given the range of financial, social and human capital resources needed. As participants reflected on the poverty simulation experience, many left with a deepened understanding of the financial pressures faced by low-income families in meeting basic needs; the difficult choices people with few resources need to make each month when stretching a limited income; the difficulties in improving one’s situation and becoming self-sufficient on a limited income; the emotional stresses and frustrations created by having limited income; as well as the positive and negative impact of the social service system on people with limited resources. 
 

The poverty simulation illustrated that moving out of poverty is never an easy task. In fact, it is often overwhelming and hopeless. For most of the participants, this was just a poverty simulation. They drove their vehicles back to their jobs, families and homes for the night not worrying about whether or not we would have food on the table for dinner. For the more than 815,000 people in South Carolina who live in poverty, this is their daily reality. The poverty simulation reminded us there is much more to each person we encounter every day than their present circumstances. Let us not forget the needs, situations, challenges and struggles families experiencing poverty face. And let us commit to continue with renewed energy to work alongside individuals and families in need. 

Stephanie Cooper-Lewter is the senior director of research for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina