Poverty Awareness Exercise By Rev. J.J. Whitney, AR United Methodist Church 200K Reasons Childhood Hunger Initiative
Payday!---you receive $1398 from the man’s employer.
DAY 2 THE FOLLOWING IS DUE NOW: Rent $550 Car payment $250 Car insurance $75 Utilities $100 Health Insurance $328 for family of 4
Weekly bills Groceries: $134. 50 average for the leanest bills Daycare: part-time, $50 Gas for the week: $40
DAY 3 LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES
DAY 4 Do you need to seek social services? See JJ
Day 5 CASH available!
DAY 6-7 The weekend—how will you spend it?? How will you fill it??
DAY 8 Weekly bills: Part-time childcare $50 Full-time childcare $125 After school childcare $30 Gas $40 Laundromat: $20
Day 9 Cell phone bill $60
Day 10 Life happens UPDATE
DAY 11 You need toiletries and household items: toilet paper, dish soap, deoderant, toothpaste, soap, makeup, laundry detergent---$100
DAY 13-14 The weekend
DAY 15 Payday! Woman’s job: $465 AND child support for the single mom: $200—IT IS LATE Bills: child-care & gas & groceries
DAY 16 A note was sent home from school about your 5-year old’s clothes that “jeans with holes” are not permitted. You need at least 3 pairs to get through the week until you can go to the laundromat.
DAY 18 If you got the payday loan, interest is DUE
DAY 19 SOCIAL SERVICES DAY
DAY 20-21 Weekend
DAY 22 LIFE HAPPENS UPDATE
WEEKLY BILLS Groceries, gas, childcare
DAY 23 School supplies needed for 3-year old’s preschool: $25
DAY 24 Your 5-year old is invited to a birthday party. You need to get a gift --$20
DAY 25 You are sick from going to the birthday party with all of those kids. Miss a day of work and lose pay. Medication $15
DAY 26 Social services day
DAY 27-28 Weekend
DAY 29 Holiday! Mom can’t work to stay home with kids. Loses pay and still has to pay for a week of daycare. BILLS: groceries, gas
DAY 30 Payday! Dad, if working: $1398 Single Mom: $465