Community members participate in poverty simulation

Frustration, hopelessness, vulnerability — those are some of the things experienced by participants who got a taste of what it means to be poor.

For them, though, poverty was a simulation exercise and after an hour of being poor, they got to go back to their real lives.

Sybil Salkow isn't so fortunate. For her, poverty is her reality.

She came to the United States to be with her daughter, who became ill and no longer is able to work. So Salkow now lives at Crossroads Mission and is grateful to have that shelter.

"You have no idea what it's like to be homeless," she said. "It's hard. For 20 months I've had no money."

It's the little things she really misses, like being able to get her hair cut or her nails done and to buy new underwear.

"You have no idea what it's like if you haven't been in that situation," Salkow said.

But organizers of the Yuma Community Action Poverty Simulation are hoping that by spending an hour walking in the shoes of those who are poor will give community members some understanding and more empathy.

The first simulation was held in the fall of 2008; the second last spring targeted government officials and employees. The most recent event was held Thursday targeting social service agencies and business people.

The hope is to eventually touch everyone in the community.

"The point is to raise awareness in the community about poverty," said Eric Stopka, the facilitator for the simulations. "Have people experience the obstacles and feel what people in poverty feel. We want to help people realize what others go through.

"Often people in poverty don't speak up, so we're trying to share their experiences."

An unexpected benefit has been that those who provide social services have seen themselves through the eyes of those they serve, he said. This is leading to a quest for how those agencies can better serve their clients.

Ideas are already taking root, Stopka noted.

At the end of Thursday's simulation exercise, the Yuma Community Food Bank announced that in January it will be open some evenings and weekends to be more accessible to clients who work or spend their days looking for work.

Another idea being considered is to provide one-stop access to various social service agencies.

Several of those who took part in the simulation reported that it was difficult to get from agency to agency. It took a lot of time away from jobs and their children while lack of transportation was a major issue.

One point that the simulation demonstrated is the desperation of those in poverty and how vulnerable they are, said Joe Waterford of the Yuma Fire Department, who assisted with the exercise as a board member for Western Arizona Council of Governments.

He said poor people are more likely to be victims of crime and "being ripped off." And it's all too tempting for a poor kid to accept $20 to deliver a bag of white powder or follow a friend into criminal activity.

Tommy Greenhoe knows firsthand what it's like to be hungry and homeless. Now he works with others at Crossroads Mission as a case manager.

During the simulation, he played the role of a 14-year-old girl whose single mother hadn't worked in years and whose brother dealt drugs to survive.

"I leaned on the school and teachers and after-school activities," he said of his character. "I realize I put unrealistic expectations on the teachers to raise the children but the parents weren't doing it."

That, however, is a situation Evonne Estes understands all too well as the homeless liaison for Yuma Elementary School District 1.

"Yes, we need after-school activities," she said. "I knew that before, but I know it even more now. I saw it from the kids' point of view."

What impressed the Rev. Bill Timm most about participating is the need for those in poverty to prioritize - "what bill had to be paid and where people needed to go to do that. Rent and food are critical issues. And it all started with transportation and how to navigate the system."

The exercise had provided him with material for his sermons the past two Sundays, he said. "I wanted people to see what it is like to try and access services."

As for himself, "I'll be able to speak with more insight ... have a more compassionate response."

Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.