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Evangel and OACAC to host poverty simulation on Friday

Published on Mar 17, 2016 by Paul K. Logsdon

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Social Work Program at Evangel University is partnering with the Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) to host a poverty simulation on campus, Friday, March 18, 2016.

The event will be held in the Mabee Student Fitness Center from 1 to 3 p.m.

A poverty simulation is an innovative project that allows participants to experience what it might feel like to live in poverty. Students will be faced with questions such as, what would you do if…

  • You had to decide between paying rent or buying food?
  • You lost your job and could not pay your bills?
  • Your car broke down and you had no way to get to work?

“We hope our students will have an eye-opening experience through the simulation, about the challenges and difficulties people who live in poverty face on a daily basis,” said Lisa Street, assistant professor and social work field director.

The exercise is sponsored by the social work program at Evangel University, in celebration of “March is Professional Social Work Month!”

Social work students are active in the Springfield community and give about 3,500 hours per semester of volunteer work. During their senior year, social work majors volunteer 450 hours in an agency for their practicum.

For more information on Evangel’s social work major, please visit: https://www.evangel.edu/programs/social-work/