Michigan dept of Health and Human Services, Voices 4 Action Network display the new face of poverty at simulation State legislators participate to learn the realities of living in poverty

Sept. 29, 2010

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Ismael Ahmed, the Voices 4 Action Network and state legislators today helped increase awareness of the changing face of poverty during a simulation workshop at the Capitol.

"Today, it is more likely than ever before that your relative, friend or neighbor collects one or more welfare benefits because of unemployment or home foreclosure," Ahmed said. "These benefits are part of the safety net that was created to help families make ends meet and get back on their feet again."

Michigan's economic climate has caused an unprecedented number of people to reach out to MDHHS for help paying their bills and putting food on the table. A common myth is that this hardship is only happening in poor, urban areas. In fact, the economic pain is being felt everywhere, ultimately changing the face of poverty.

This is just one of the many myths that are tarnishing the purpose of the welfare system and may prevent individuals, especially families with young children and the elderly, from seeking help. MDHHS launched a statewide campaign, "Welfare 101: busting myths about welfare," in April in an effort to reduce the widespread negative perceptions and show how valuable the welfare system is for so many Michigan residents, as well as to the state's economy.

The poverty simulation workshop serves as a reality check, providing an opportunity for state legislators and their staff to experience what it's like to live in poverty. Each participant was given the challenge of accomplishing a task to make ends meet while a member of a low-income family.

The simulation is aimed at opening peoples' eyes to the human cost of poverty, as well as highlighting community resources for families in need.

"I appreciate Director Ahmed's work to bring awareness to the issue of poverty," said Sen. Mark C. Jansen, R-Gaines Township, who participated in the event. "In my work with the department, nonprofits, churches and the local community, I see many families in need. Today's workshop helped all of us ask ourselves what we can do as a larger community to better help struggling parents find ways to provide for their families."

Michigan's declining wages and rising unemployment have resulted in a new face of poverty, which now extends into the middle class, said Rep. Mary Valentine, D-Muskegon, who also participated in the simulation. 

"This experience can be both humbling and frightening," she added. "It is important during these difficult economic times that we reach out to one another and grow in our understanding of each other.

"If we do this, we will find, when our economy recovers, we have become a stronger Michigan because of our deeper understanding of one another."

In fiscal year 2009, more than 2.5 million people in Michigan - or about a quarter of the state's population - received one of five welfare programs. That includes cash, food, medical, state disability or child development and care assistance. Thousands more used benefits or services related to energy assistance, adult and child abuse or neglect, foster care or adoption, home help services or other assistance.

Among the myths busted during today's event:

Myth: Welfare recipients only live in poor, urban areas, not the suburbs or wealthier areas of the state.

Fact: Michigan residents are struggling to put food on their tables and pay their bills in communities statewide. MDHHS has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of families seeking temporary assistance, including in Michigan's more-affluent suburban communities.

For example, communities such as Livonia in Wayne County saw a 105 percent increase in the number of people coming to the MDHHS for food assistance from July 2008 to September 2010. For Medicaid, it was 60 percent. Meanwhile, Dearborn saw a 50 percent increase in food assistance recipients, and 44 percent increase in Medicaid.

"With many of our friends, neighbors and family members struggling day to day with the basic needs of life it is important for those who set priorities and policy in our state government to walk a mile in their shoes," said Jeff Brown, director of the Kalamazoo County Poverty Reduction Initiative. "The poverty simulation offers that opportunity along with time to discuss what call to action we can take both as a state and as one community."

The Voices 4 Action Network was created on Nov. 13, 2008 by MDHHS, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm's Commission on Community Action and Economic Opportunity, and the Michigan Community Action Agency Association. Together, they sponsored the statewide summit on poverty that had more than 5,000 participants - the largest state summit on poverty in at least 40 years.

Since then, eight Voices 4 Action regions have been working on priorities to reduce poverty through access to health care, empowering communities, and supporting innovative local initiatives to move people out of poverty.

Ahmed encouraged people to continue to raise awareness about the realities of poverty and dispel myths about welfare.

"It is more important than ever before to do your part to educate the skeptics," Ahmed said. "Be vigilant and make sure you don't fall into this trap yourself. Welfare is a temporary measure for those vulnerable residents whose needs are great."

For more information about Welfare 101: busting myths about welfare, please visit www.michigan.gov/welfare101. Follow MDHHS on Twitter @MichiganDHS or become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/MichiganDHS.