WellLink to Host Transformative Experience on Poverty and Food Insecurity

WellLink Health Alliance invites community members and leaders to a powerful, immersive event designed to deepen the understanding of poverty and its root causes. Taking place Sept. 25 at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and presented in partnership with WellLink’s Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Innovation Hub Advisory Council, the “Lived-Experience Exercise: A Transformative Encounter with Poverty” will challenge assumptions and cultivate empathy by immersing participants in the everyday realities faced by individuals and families living with poverty and food insecurity.

Despite the unwavering efforts of organizations throughout Greater Cleveland, food insecurity continues to be a widespread and persistent challenge impacting children, families, single adults, and older adults alike. Its roots run deep, closely tied to the broader, systemic drivers of poverty: housing instability, economic upheaval, limited access to transportation, systemic racism, and the lasting effects of intergenerational poverty.

This event is not a typical training or policy discussion. In this hands-on simulation, each participant will experience financial hardships and navigate a series of day-to-day challenges such as applying for food stamps, enrolling in Medicaid, securing housing, accessing transportation, and seeking behavioral health support. Participants will interact with event volunteers who represent various agencies and bureaucracies while simultaneously facing time constraints, misinformation, limited resources, and systemic barriers.

Taking place during Hunger Action Month, this event offers a timely and urgent opportunity to gain firsthand insight into interconnections between intergenerational poverty, systemic barriers, and food insecurity. Assumptions that we each hold will be challenged; and participants will gain an experiential foundation that fosters collaboration, promotes equity, and drives innovation in health and social services.

“As we work toward building a thriving community, we must go beyond dry data, static policies, and objective reports,” said Dr. Kim Byas, Sr., vice president, community engagement and impact at WellLink. “Poverty is a daily lived experience. Therefore, we must listen, feel and truly engage with the lived experiences of our neighbors — even if it is just for a few hours. This exercise creates space for personal and collective reflections. From such reflections come the motivation and insights necessary to catalyze true system-level change.”

The event is designed for professionals and stakeholders across sectors, including the following:

• Healthcare and behavioral health providers.
• Education and youth services.
• City, county, and state policymakers.
• Nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.
• Faith-based and community leaders.
• Business, technology, and workforce partners.
• Anyone committed to building a just, nourishing, and thriving community.

The “Lived-Experience Exercise: A Transformative Encounter with Poverty” will take place on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 1-5 p.m. at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s Partner Distribution Hub located at 13815 Coit Rd., Cleveland, OH 44110.

The event is free and registration is required. Please register by Sept. 12 to ensure your spot.