Shippensburg University students were transported to the town of “Friendlyville” during a department-sponsored simulation intended to raise awareness for impoverished families in the Shippensburg area.

After walking through the doors of the Ceddia Union Building (CUB)’s Multi-purpose Room, social work students handed out pre-tests requesting information about each student’s family life and financial class. Then, name tags were distributed, providing each student with a new identity, family and financial background.

For the remainder of the evening, attendees were tasked with providing for their families with the limited resources to which low-income families in the Shippensburg area are accustomed. The simulation lasted four “weeks,” with each week running for 15 minutes.

Armed with a plastic bag containing limited amounts of cash, attendees were required to report to work, pay for groceries and provide education for their children, as well as any other expenses that may arise each week.

Situated around the perimeter of the room were various businesses, such as a grocery store, bank, social services office and homeless shelter, intended to provide families with all of their daily needs.

“They have to make it work in situations typical of low-income families in this area,” said Jonathan Raber, coordinator of Support Circles, an initiative created by South Central Community Action Programs (SCCAP) to raise awareness of the struggles facing low-income families in Franklin County.

Raber said although not all students may have the same investment in eliminating poverty as social work students, everyone is a part of a community in some form and experiences the effects of a struggling economy.

“Our hope is it helps students increase their level of interest in these issues to help create solutions,” Raber said. “Poverty is something that impacts an entire community, and they are all going to be engaged in some community in some way.”

In Franklin County, 11.7 percent of households live below the poverty line, according to a press release issued by the social work students responsible for creating the simulation.

The simulation evolved from a group of social work students in Nicole Monastra-Hewitt’s practice with organizations and communities class, who were required to create a project that would assist a branch of the Shippensburg community.

“Students were put into groups and had to carry out a project that helps the community,” Monastra-Hewitt said.

“[The simulation] was all about learning how to carry out a project, and educate students on campus.”

Poverty is an issue that continues to be seen in a false light, despite its prevalence throughout many communities nationwide, Monastra-Hewitt said.

“Poverty is a community issue that is really not understood,” Monastra-Hewitt said. “We think we know [what poverty is], but our view is often distorted.”

Before being let loose to begin their month-long stay in Friendlyville, Raber warned attendees of the consequences of failing to provide their families with basic necessities. Many students underestimated the obstacles they would face. Families that failed to pay the bills or send their children to school were thrown into the town’s jail or juvenile hall.

“I think it ended up being a lot harder than expected,” SU graduate Chelsea Steinour said.

Another SU graduate, Katrina Yoder, said her group was responsible for providing child care for their child, but struggled to pay the child care center’s fees with the amount of money provided to their family.

“It really puts into perspective that this is a real issue,” Yoder said. “People deal with this on an everyday basis — it’s eye-opening.”

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