Excelsior Springs, Mo. – Residents gathered Wednesday, January 29, at the Excelsior Springs Community Center for a poverty simulation facilitated by the Community Action Agency of Greater Kansas City (CAAGKC). The interactive event, designed to provide participants with a glimpse into the daily struggles faced by those living in poverty, drew approximately 25 attendees.
Taran Svoboda, Assistant Director of Administration for the Excelsior Springs Community Center, organized the event after attending a similar simulation in Liberty, Missouri, last October. “I found it really eye-opening,” Svoboda said. “I had hoped to share this experience with Excelsior Springs because it shifts the perception of poverty from being seen as a temporary hardship to an ongoing reality for many families.”
A Simulation of Real-Life Struggles
The poverty simulation is based on real-life scenarios from individuals who have worked with CAAGKC and given permission for their experiences to be used as educational tools. The exercise highlights the complexities of poverty and the systemic barriers that make it difficult to escape.
Participants assumed identities of low-income individuals and were tasked with surviving a simulated month in poverty. The room was arranged to mimic a community—chairs in the center represented homes, while tables around the perimeter served as banks, grocery stores, schools, and social service agencies. Throughout the exercise, participants navigated the daily stresses of securing transportation, affording food, and paying bills.
“You have the long lines when you’re at the bank, you have the long lines when you’re at the doctor’s office,” Svoboda said. “We didn’t have that as much today because of the smaller turnout, but in Liberty, it was really chaotic, which made it feel real.”
Unlike traditional role-playing activities, the simulation allowed participants to act in ways they deemed necessary to survive. Some resorted to taking unattended transportation passes or money, while others formed alliances to pool resources.
“When I was handed my simulation packet, I immediately thought of my grandmother and the hardships she’d gone through in her life,” said Laura Mize, a participant. “To make ends meet, she rented out rooms in her home for extra income. So in the simulation, I did the same—I offered my neighbors babysitting and reduced rent in exchange for help with groceries and utilities.”
Stephanie Schoeneck attended the simulation with her children, hoping to help them understand financial realities and build empathy for others. “I think it’s important for them to understand that there are situations beyond our control,” she said. “Like, when they want to go to a movie and my husband and I have to say ‘no,’ it’s not because we don’t want to take them or because we’re being mean; it’s typically because we have to stay on budget.”
Mixed Reactions from the Community
Despite its educational intent, the event’s promotion sparked unexpected backlash on social media, with some accusing it of making light of poverty.
“We’ve had some pushback in the past, but never to this extent,” said Julia Powell, an outreach specialist with CAAGKC. “This isn’t a game. These scenarios are based on real people and real situations. The goal is to help participants feel, even for a moment, the stress and barriers that those in poverty face every day.”
Powell emphasized that poverty is often the result of circumstances beyond an individual’s control. “We’re trying to teach that poverty is not a choice,” she said. “There are circumstances that lead to the situation that people find themselves in. And then there are barriers when they’re trying to get out.”
Svoboda said she was disappointed by the negative reactions, particularly because the event in Liberty had drawn nearly 80 participants, including Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson and other community leaders who were interested in seeing circumstances from a different perspective. “I think it’s an eye-opening experience for anybody who attends, that’s for sure,” Svoboda added.
The Emotional Takeaway
Following the simulation, participants shared their reactions in a debrief session. They were asked to summarize their experience in a single word, with responses including “busy, stressful, chaotic, impossible, helpless, and disappointed.”
One participant noted how difficult it was to prioritize expenses. “My health became a luxury,” they said, referring to the need to delay medical bills and care in order to afford rent and utilities.
Powell said she would have welcomed skeptics of the program to attend the event and experience it firsthand. “I would have loved to have maybe one of those people that made those comments come and experience it for themselves,” she said.
Powell said the simulation is open to anyone and that it could be especially beneficial for educators and policymakers. Powell encouraged organizations interested in hosting the program to reach out.
“It’s all about education,” she said. “Come, experience it. We’re trying to give people tools to start making changes and advocating for those in these situations.”
Learn more about the Poverty Simulation Program at https://www.povertysimulation.net/.
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