To share information about a poverty-related event, please contact Sarah Inman at sarah@browncountyunitedway.org.
Framework for Understanding Poverty
Friday, June 18, 2010; Noon to 4:00pm
Brown County Central Library Auditorium
Presenter: Al Rolph, Fond du Lac County Department of Social Services
Many of the children, youth and families served by social service agencies have grown up and continue to live in generational poverty. Having an understanding of the impact poverty can have on one’s attitudes, values and behaviors is invaluable to social workers and other professionals who are providing services to these individuals. People who grow up in generational poverty learn different “rules” than those who grow up in wealth or the middle class. Most organizations, schools and businesses operate from middle class norms. Despite the obstacles that poverty can create in all types of interactions, there are strategies for overcoming them. This workshop will cover: how economic class affects behaviors/mindsets; the “hidden rules” within economic class; how family structure and language development differ for many individuals who live in generational poverty; and, personal skills for working with individuals from generational poverty.
RSVP by Friday, June 11th to Jody Greenwell at 433-3372, ext. 131, or by email at jgreenwell@familyservicesnew.org.
Poverty Simulation July 7, 2010
The poverty simulation experience takes participants through the lives of those who find themselves just at or below the poverty guidelines. Participants are assigned roles in a family, a family history and situations that come up in real life. The three-hour simulation is broken down into four "one-week" sessions in which they must live their family's life. Many of the families are either working jobs, looking for work, or are elderly. These interactive, real life situations open participant’s eyes to the struggles our neighbors face daily.
Interested in participating? There will be a poverty simulation on July 7th at the Brown County Extension Office from 8:45 am to 11:45 am. If you would like to register for the simulation, contact Mary Frank at (920) 433-1532 or mkfrank@wisconsinpublicservice.com.
*Poverty simulations are open to high school aged students as well. Consider attending with your teenager! What a great way to illustrate how others live through this interactive program.
Archives:
The mission of “Seeds of Hope” is to engage our community in the elimination of poverty. We don’t want your money; we want to raise our collective awareness. A variety of activities will take place during the month of January designed to help raise awareness as well as provide opportunities to work towards eliminating poverty in our area. Activities planned include: Seeds of Hope Kick-off Event, Poverty Simulation, Community Book Read, Diversity Circles, Just Neighbors Workshops, and a community viewing of “Shelter from the Storm.” We need our neighbors, our businesses, our political leaders, our schools, and our community agencies to work together to make this a reality. Poverty affects us all! Please join us for our Kick-off Event on January 12, 2010. For further details, call Bobbie Lison (272.8234), Bree Decker (884.3078), DonElla Payne (496.1922), or Mike DeGrand (431.6688).
Poverty Diversity Circles
Diversity Circles are small groups of people talking together about critical public issues. Participants meet together for a number of weeks to look at an issue from many points of view. The goal of circles is to engage participants in dialogue to promote action and change. A diversity circle focusing on the topic of poverty is scheduled to begin on April 28, 2010 and will meet for five consecutive Wednesday evenings concluding on May 26th. The circle will be held at St. Norbert Abbey and begins at 6:30 p.m. and concludes at 8:30 p.m. each evening. There is no cost to participate. Each participant will receive a study guide that will be used as part of the discussion. If you would like to sign-up for the circle or want more information, please contact Judy Knudsen, Brown County UW-Extension at 920-391-4651 or judith.knudsen@ces.uwex.edu.
Brown County Reads
Plan to read the book "Nickel and Dimed On (Not) Getting By in America" and joining a local book talk on February 24 2010, 1:00pm to 2:00pm at Catholic Charities, 1825 Riverside Drive (Bona Hall #125), Green Bay
Poverty Simulation Volunteers Needed
A poverty simulation is an experience to educate people on what it might be like to live on a very low income. The objective is to sensitize participants to the realities faced by people with limited incomes surviving month-to-month.
The simulation is held in a large room with “families” seated in groups in the center. Around the perimeter of the room are tables representing community resources and services for these families. Persons who have a personal experience or an appreciation for the realities faced by those living in poverty are recruited to staff the resource tables; they assume roles such as utility collector, landlord, banker, food pantry, employment office, pawn broker, grocery and school.
This is where you come in…The roles are easy and you will be trained before the simulation so you know exactly what to do! We are in need of volunteers for the mornings of January 12, March 5 and March 15. An additional simulation is also being held for the afternoon of March 15. The demand for simulations continues to grow, and we can continue to offer them only with the support of volunteers.
This program can change the way of thinking and working with low income families. Thank you for considering working with us. Please contact Judy Knudsen or Karen Early at Brown County UW Extension with your interest: 391-4614 or karen.early@ces.uwex.edu or Judith.knudsen@ces.uwex.edu.
Forward with our Children 2nd Annual Luncheon Series highlights child homelessness: Start Smart, Brown County United Way, Partners in Education and Encompass are pleased to present this event on Friday, May 8, 2009 from 11am to 1pm at the Holiday Inn City Centre. The guest speaker is Alison Draheim of the Green Bay Area Public School District. A $10 registration fee covers the cost of the meal. Contact sarah@browncountyunitedway.org with questions or to register.
Bellin Health Lifelines presents Jeanette Walls on April 2, 2009 at the Weidner Center: In her inspirational book, The Glass Castle, Walls describes growing up in the desert of the American Southwest and then in a West Virginia mining town. The Glass Castle has been taught at universities in courses on literature, psychology, parenting, child development and poverty. Walls has spoken at colleges, corporations and business associations about overcoming hardship and the keys to turning adversity to your advantage. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.wcpresents.com/LL09JeannetteWalls.html.
Teen Connection discusses teen homelessness: Teen homelessness is the topic of Teen Connection on March 24, 2009 . During the 2007-08 school year, more than 9,000 students were homeless in the State of Wisconsin. Of those, 2,437 students (26 percent) were ninth-through-12th graders. Alison Draheim, school social worker and at-risk program coordinator for Green Bay Schools, and April Strom-Johnson, executive director of Good Samaritan Charity in De Pere, will join teens on the panel. Teen Connection is co-produced by NEWIST/CESA 7, Educational Television Productions of Northeastern Wisconsin (ETPNEW) and Wisconsin Public Television. It is broadcast statewide by Wisconsin Public Television.