September 23, 2025 2:50 a.m. 

Urban Rural Action invites community members to experience a poverty simulation event in Roseburg.

It will take place on October 10th at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, beginning at 8:30 a.m.  Using the nationally recognized Missouri Community Action Network Poverty Simulation model, participants will assume the roles of families struggling to make ends meet. For one “month” compressed into a few hours, participants will navigate difficult choices around housing, employment, childcare, transportation, and unexpected expenses.

Umpqua Coordinator and URA participant Amy Taylor said, “Homelessness and poverty look different depending on who you are and where you live. This simulation is a powerful way to build empathy, understanding, and solutions across divides.”

After the simulation, participants will engage in a guided reflection and discussion about what they learned and how the community can respond.

Urban Rural Action is a national nonprofit that convenes politically diverse groups of Americans to build relationships across divides and collaborate on local community challenges. The Southern Oregon UR Action team has identified homelessness and housing insecurity as their area of focus, and the poverty simulation is part of their effort to foster dialogue and collective problem-solving.

Advance registration for the event can be made at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1629200766349?aff=oddtdtcreator