SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. / STATELINE, Nev. – Local residents, community leaders, service providers, and business owners are invited to experience The Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) on Tuesday, September 22, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Kahle Community Center in Stateline, Nevada.

Co-hosted by Vista Rise Collective, Partnership Serving Douglas County, and ThinkTank Inc., COPE is an interactive 2.5-hour workshop designed to move past statistics and give participants a firsthand look at the daily realities, systemic barriers, and tough choices faced by families living in financial hardship.

Organizers are currently seeking both participants to go through the simulation and community volunteers to help facilitate the event.

Two Ways to Get Involved:

  1. Attend as a Participant: Step into the shoes of a local family navigating four simulated weeks of living on a tight budget. Free to attend. Eligible professionals (CHW, CPS, PSS) can earn 2.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
  2. Sign Up as a Volunteer: Role-play key community resource roles—such as landlords, utility clerks, law enforcement, school staff, or social service workers—to help run the simulation. Minimal advance preparation is required; on-site orientation is provided.

“High living costs and housing shortages force many of our neighbors to make impossible choices every day,” said Briana Vallejo, community relations coordinator of Vista Rise Collective. “COPE shifts the conversation from head knowledge to heart knowledge. Whether you participate or volunteer, your presence at this event helps provide safer communities for all by increasing community members who lead with empathy.”

Event Details & Registration