“It’s kind of that financial cliff where a lot of people aren’t receiving resources because of their income.”
The event began with a screening of “Meeting ALICE,” an episode of WGVU Public Media’s show “Mutually Inclusive.”
It explores the challenges faced by ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households.
“ALICE can be any race, any age, any gender.”
Non-profit Access of West Michigan also conducted a Poverty Simulation Workshop to help attendees gain a deeper understanding of the realities faced by ALICE households.
Participants role-played as various ALICE individuals and families, given bills, paper money, and challenging situations with limited resources.
“So you're living one month as a family in poverty, and the goal is to make it through the workshop without losing your home, making sure the kids are fed, without losing your job.”
Tinley Kindy is the Co-Executive Director of Operations
“The purpose of this program is to instill, compassion and empathy and trauma-informed knowledge in people in positions of power. The impact that we want to have is real life policy changes in institutions like healthcare, transportation, education.”
Poverty education workshops can be arranged through Access of West Michigan.
The “Meeting ALICE” episode is available on the WGVU website.
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