Harsh realities of poverty portrayed in Sandusky County simulation
90 people participate in event held at Camp Fire
FREMONT — As part of the Sandusky County Homeless Coalition's Poverty Simulation training event, Renee Livas portrayed a 14-year-old child in poverty.
She struggled trying to balance going to school on a regular basis, often skipping classes, and helping out her family.
Livas, an employee with Sandusky County Job and Family Services, and her SCJFS coworker Sklyer Andres were among dozen of participants in the event held Friday at Camp Fire Sandusky County.
For Livas, her work involves working with people in the 14-to-24 age range.
"They go through this daily," Livas said.
The coalition's free training allowed participants to think about poverty's harsh realities and talk about how communities can address the problem.
It was designed to help participants understand what it might be like to live in a typical low-income family trying to survive from month to month.
Jobless, homeless, senior citizens portrayed
Some families in the simulation were newly unemployed, homeless, or recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families aid.
Others were senior citizens receiving disability or retirement or grandparents raising their grandchildren.
The coalition's simulation involved participants who took on the role of family members
and volunteers as resource providers.
Participants were asked to use the resources available to them and provide for basic necessities while facing various challenges.
Andres said the simulation reinforced that poverty is not just an issue in larger cities but also smaller areas like Fremont.
"It put a lot of things into perspective," Andres said.
Cassandrea Tucker, chairperson of the county's homeless coalition, said there were 90 people in the simulation's morning session, with representatives from SCJFS, GLCAP, Fremont City Schools, Liberty Center of Sandusky County, Share and Care, Community Fortress and Habitat for Humanity at the event.
"It broadens their perspective on the people we deal with that are impoverished in this community," Tucker said.
Poverty simulation idea presented in 2020
Tucker said she presented the idea for a poverty simulation event to the coalition in 2020.
She said she'd attended a simulation in Lucas County prior to pitching the idea to the coalition.
COVID-19 safety concerns forced the coalition to wait until this year to hold the event.
Tucker said the simulation was designed to try and create every situation someone might find in their communities.
Right now, one of the most pressing issues for local residents is finding apartments and homes for rent, Tucker and Brandy Kreider, Community Fortress' executive director, said.
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Twitter: @DanielCarson7