Nearly 50 people learned a little bit recently about what it’s like to live in poverty for four weeks. They participated in the fifth Poverty Simulation hosted by the Poverty Education and Awareness Task Force at the YWCA of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia in Bristol on March 14th. Those involved role-played as people living in poverty to gain a better understanding of what many in the Twin City who have limited funds deal with daily.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 19.3 percent of Bristol, Virginia, residents live below the federal poverty level, while in Bristol, Tennessee, it’s 16.7 percent.
However, Ms. Lynn Pannell, BRHA Resident Services Manager (pictured below) and a moderator at the event, said the number who deal with financial insecurity in the Bristol community is much higher. During the simulation, some lost their homes, others had their utilities shut off and a few spent most of their time at the bank waiting to cash a check.
Click below for full newspaper article published by the Bristol Herald Courier:
