Learning Objectives: 

• The Heart of Kentucky United Way (HKUW) offers a professional, hands-on "Poverty Experience" simulation, designed to immerse participants in the daily struggles of local families facing limited resources, such as navigating financial, transportation, and service access barriers over four simulated weeks. The simulation helps build empathy, sparks community action, and highlights the need for local services in Boyle, Garrard, Lincoln, and Mercer counties. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

• Key Details of the HKUW Poverty Simulation:

• Purpose: To foster understanding of the complexities of poverty and encourage empathy among community leaders and volunteers.

• Experience: Participants are assigned to families and must navigate various stations, such as work, school, and social services, to survive on a limited budget.

• Realism: It demonstrates the challenges of paying bills, securing housing, managing food costs, and managing transportation, often highlighting unexpected crises like unexpected medical debt.

• Impact: Participants often gain insight into the difficulty of escaping poverty and the importance of community support programs.

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1 hour approved SHRM and HRCI