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Insights > Entergy Arkansas hosts interactive poverty simulation to better understand customer challenges
Entergy Arkansas hosts interactive poverty simulation to better understand customer challenges
11/26/2024
Every day, countless Arkansans face the harsh reality of poverty, where even the simplest needs become daunting challenges. It’s not just people without jobs that are facing poverty. There is a large amount of people in our state that are considered asset limited, income constrained and employed (ALICE). This means these individuals are earning more than the federal poverty level, but not enough to afford the basics where they live. Together, 47% of households in Arkansas are below the ALICE threshold.
For these individuals and families, survival often means choosing between heating a home or feeding themselves, delaying medical care to cover rent, or sending children to school without the supplies they need to succeed. Poverty isn’t just a statistic; it’s an unending series of sacrifices that wear down hope and limit opportunity. This daily struggle goes beyond financial hardship—it’s a constant, exhausting effort to overcome barriers that others never have to consider.
Unless one has experienced poverty, it’s difficult to truly understand the realities. Recognizing this, Entergy Arkansas recently hosted an interactive poverty simulation to offer its employees and community advocacy partners an eye-opening experience of the daily challenges faced by low-income families. The goal was to see how our customers are struggling firsthand and get insights into how to better serve them through these challenges.
Many participants also attended a poverty summit in conjunction with the simulation that was hosted by the Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association. Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. was one of the guest speakers at the event, where discussions centered on strategies to combat economic inequality and improve access to essential services. The mayor highlighted recent city initiatives focused on reducing poverty and called for strengthened collaboration among public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Entergy Arkansas is making a difference, and we continue to improve the resources and support available for our customers in need. As a company, our mission is to continually improve the communities we serve and is also reflected through our philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy.
“To truly serve our customers, we need to step into their shoes and understand the financial challenges they face every day," said Ventrell Thompson, vice president of customer service for Entergy Arkansas. “When we see from their perspective, we gain insights into what they need most from us and it drives us to create solutions that genuinely make a difference."
Th event, held at the University of Little Rock student center, featured a real-world simulation that exposed attendees to the realities of navigating life with limited resources and having to make difficult choices and obstacles associated with living in poverty. Through role-playing scenarios set in the fictitious "Realville, USA" city, participants were able to step into the shoes of individuals facing poverty and experience the daily hurdles they must overcome.
During the simulation, participants were assigned unique identities and encountered real-life scenarios such as the need for reliable transportation, access to food or managing a chronic illness. They experienced various scenarios over four weeks, simulated in 15-minute segments, that reflected the lives of individuals who were recently homeless, unemployed, navigating the social services system, surviving on public assistance and facing other challenges.
“Our goal with this simulation is to increase awareness and empathy in the community,” said Brandi Hinkle, senior public affairs representative for Entergy Arkansas. “We want people to understand that poverty is not just a lack of money. It’s a series of hard choices and compromises that people have to make every day.”
The simulation highlighted the balancing act required to survive on a tight budget. At the utility station, for instance, participants weighed paying an overdue electricity bill against buying groceries for the week. Each decision came with risk and reward, forcing participants to face the harsh reality of trade-offs that low-income families navigate to meet their basic needs.
Following the simulation, participants gathered for a debriefing session to discuss the importance of community resources and support networks in helping families break out of the cycle of poverty.
“The poverty simulation helped me understand the daily challenges and tough decisions faced by a number of our customers,” said Justin Hart, director of distribution reliability for Entergy Arkansas. “It showed me the resilience needed to navigate limited resources, which deepened my appreciation and commitment to addressing these issues at Entergy.”
Last year, our shareholders contributed $2.75 million to scores of nonprofit partners in Arkansas, totaling more than 200 grants, from the American Red Cross and Salvation Army to scholarships and youth programs, local governments and community events.
As we enter the thanksgiving season, we invite you to join us in our initiatives to make a meaningful impact. Whether it’s through The Power to Care program or another Entergy Arkansas mission area, let’s come together to bring support, understanding and solutions to those who need it most.
Learn more about our commitment to giving back and supporting our communities.
