Cochrane's Family Community Support Services held a poverty simulation at the Cochrane Legion on June 16.

54 registrants role played either a family stricken by poverty or a support service provider that helped the families with obtaining basic needs.

The simulation was eye opening to see what families of modest and low income go through on a month to month basis.

Figuring out how to access services and the time restraints around the process proved to really show some of the challenges families like these face on a daily basis.

Family Community Support Services Manager Susan Flowers says the session felt very real and emotional.

"There is a lot of blockages and a lot of hard times that people go through when they are in poverty."

Flowers shares that many in Cochrane do financially struggle but many residents do not know how prevalent the problem is.

"There's a lot more than people are aware of. People in poverty often feel invisible- they're struggling but not everybody knows about it."

The one thing that speaks volumes about the Cochrane community, is that even during tough times community members continue to give.

"We see alot of people give either when they come out of poverty or when their situation improves they really enjoy giving back."

The simulation showed participants not only how hard it actually is to be in a low income/poverty situation but also to empathize with those down on their luck.

"It's not as simple as pull up your boot straps and get on with it; it's complicated and there's a lot of barriers for people to overcome to get out of poverty."

It was the first time the simulation was held in Cochrane and organizers are hopeful to do it again.