"Previously, we were using a version of the simulation made by the University of Missouri Cooperative Extension," Foundation Director of Communications Christopher Morris said. "We've since customized the experience more for credit unions, made it bigger and better, which is the new kit."

Lois Kitsch, the Foundation's national program director, said the Life Simulation kit includes a variety of exercises designed to help credit union professionals and others in their communities learn and walk in the shoes of low-income individuals living paycheck to paycheck.

"The simulation – not a game – is actually designed to help us understand what it's like not to have enough money to pay the rent, maybe be homeless, or to end up homeless at the end of the session," she explained.

Kitsch noted the Foundation's Life Simulation kit can help credit unions develop products, services and resources to assist low-income members.

"It's difficult to understand what someone is going through until you walk a day in their shoes, which is why the Foundation's Life Simulation is such an eye opening experience that will change the lives of your credit union staff and ultimately the lives of your members," she said.

Going through the Life Simulation program changed the perspective of Danielle Frawley, chief retail officer for the $219 million Fort Community Credit Union in Fort Atkinson, Wis.

"When you're experiencing scarcity, your decision-making is so very different," Frawley said. "So many of us criticize decisions that others make when they're in these situations. And after going through this experience, it was a lot easier for me to see why those decisions are made sometimes, because you don't have the time or the resources to think these decisions through, and so you take the quickest, easiest decision you can to get on with life. And I think that was so profound for me."

The Life Simulation kit includes more than 1,000 pieces of material that describe and set up different scenarios such as complex family dynamics, issues members face such as payday lending and medical debt, and other financial hardships.

While the kit is primarily a staff training program, it also can be used in an event breakout session, chapter meeting or a community event.

"I felt during it (Life Simulation) that I was going to actually have an emotional breakdown, that's how real-life it felt," Frawley said. "I think everyone really needs to experience this to understand what so many people in the world are going through and what our members are going through."