Poverty: Raising Awareness, Fighting Effects

from the Times Union

Editor's Note: This is the first in a three-part series on the increasing effects of financial need in Kosciusko County. The series will look at three local events aimed at bringing awareness and response to poverty in our area. Part two will be published Saturday, and part three will be published Dec. 6.

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The holiday season has most area residents making lists and planning parties.

But, according to data from the 2004 U.S. Census (the most recent figures available), the number of families just trying to make ends meet in Kosciusko County is on the rise.

Between 2000 and 2005, the percentage of families living at or below the poverty level in Kosciusko County rose from 4.4 percent to 7.9 percent.

While 7.9 percent is still less than Indiana's state average, 11.1 percent, it represents an increase that hasn't gone unnoticed by local agencies working to provide services to those in need. Poverty rates are set by the federal government based on income and size of family. For example, a family of four with an annual household income of $20,650 or less is living in poverty, according to the 2007 rate. A poverty rate of 7.9 percent means that almost 6,000 people in this mostly rural county rely on assistance to access basic necessities of life.

According to Louis Jones, director of Combined Community Services, the poverty rate is just one indicator of financial need in the county. Jones said the large number of students on the free or reduced lunch program in local school districts is another indicator.

"The Warsaw Community School District reports that almost a third of their students are on the free or reduced lunch program," Jones said. "These percentages jump even higher for other school districts in the county."

While the free or reduced lunch program does not necessarily mean participating families are at the poverty level, Jones said the large number of families enrolled is an indication that a growing number of families in the county are not completely self-sufficient and need assistance.

"We call these families the working poor," said Jones, "people who are just one paycheck or one problem away from needing public or private assistance. This is one of the largest problems here in Kosciusko County and a large number of the people we see at Combined Community Services. They have jobs, sometimes more than one job, but they are only earning minimum wage and barely making it."

On Nov. 13, about 30 local professionals sat in a conference room in Westminster Hall, Winona Lake, looking through colorful folders. They came from Beaman Home, Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw Housing Authority, Cardinal Center, Kosciusko County Health Department, Warsaw Community Schools and other agencies or organizations which work with or provide services to the area's poor. The folders contained paper cut outs of items like televisions and wedding rings. Most of the folders also contained paper children.

The professionals were gathered for a poverty simulation organized by Kosciusko Community Foundation, Grace College Social Work Department and Goodwill Industries of Michiana.

In the exercise, participants try to successfully live through a typical day of someone in poverty, one day in the life of the people they serve.

"The main focus of the simulation is to create empathy for people who live in poverty as well as trying to help us become better, more compassionate providers of services," said Rebecca Coleman, Grace College social work professor.

Deb Coble, vice president of workforce development for Goodwill Industries of Michiana, facilitated the simulation. "Welcome to Welfare U.S.A.," Coble told the participants. "You're going to have the opportunity to be on the other side of the desk today."

In the simulation, participants play characters in poverty and have a list of things they need to accomplish by the end of the exercise. Participants must obtain food to feed their family, pay for child care, attend parent-teacher conferences, pay utility bills, bail spouses out of jail, buy medicine for their children and run other important errands starting with few resources. Volunteers staff stations representing food banks, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the post office, social service agencies, school and other entities someone in poverty would interact with regularly.

Coble said, in addition to the challenges of limited access to resources, people in need also face the misconceptions of mainstream society.

"'Why don't they do things to make the situation better?' That is the attitude that society in general tends to have," Coble said.

Melissa Stolfo, director of workforce development at Goodwill Industries of Michiana, said the simulation is designed to debunk the over-simplified view of poverty.

"It's not as simple as 'Just go get a job,'" Stolfo said. "For example, it's not as simple to keep a job when they set your food stamp appointment at 10 a.m. and you have to be at work."

During the simulation, participants sometimes found those manning the stations to be less than helpful. Nancy Zinz, of CASA, arrived at the post office to pick up her welfare check just as volunteer Brenda Green, set a sign on her desk.

"It says she's on break and I should check back later," Zinz said with a sigh.

Kosciusko County Prosecutor Steve Hearn, looking for $150 to pay utility bills, tried to sell one of his items, a flatscreen television, at the pawn shop.

"They offered me $20 for it," Hearn said.

Brenda Rigdon, of KCF, said the simulation was aimed at improving the services offered to those making ends meet with few resources.

"If it improves the system in even a small way, it will be worth it," she said.

Rigdon said she thinks the simulation got that point across.

Rigdon said another simulation is planned for late February for human resources employees of local businesses. For more information, contact Rigdon at 574-267-1901.