A volunteer explains their role in the poverty simulation to the crowd Monday, April 4th

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Participants were tasked Monday morning to fill the shoes of real North Dakota families who have and continue to struggle through poverty in the state.

Community Action Partnership North Dakota (CAPND) conducts poverty simulations to large groups for educational purposes. These simulations provide participants experience and understanding of what it might be like to live in a typical low-income family trying to survive month-to-month in North Dakota.

Executive Director for the State Association Andrea Olson says participants simulate one month and in that time, must pay their bills on time to provide shelter and security for the family, find adequate childcare for children, get to work on time in order to get paid, and find ways to pay monthly bills on time and more.

Olson stressed this is not a game, but an interactive learning experience using real life situations for real families that CAPND works with.

Great Plains Housing Authority (GPHA) Executive Director Dave Klein was a volunteer at the “pawn shop” as part of the simulation.

He added those participating would see a variety of challenges.

More than 60 participated in the simulation.