To foster a deeper understanding of customers facing financial challenges, employees of Florida public power utility JEA recently participated in a simulation exercise designed to highlight the realities of living with limited financial resources.
The United Way of Northeast Florida led a Meet “ALICE” poverty simulation at JEA on Feb. 20, offering insight into the experiences of working families who navigate constant financial pressures.
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, represents members of the community who are employed yet struggle to afford basic necessities. In Northeast Florida, nearly 39 percent of households face financial hardship, with communities of color disproportionately affected, JEA said.
During this interactive experience on Feb. 20, more than 50 leaders and JEA team members "had the opportunity to walk in the shoes of ALICE families, gaining valuable perspective on the difficult decisions and constraints many customers face daily," JEA said.
JEA employees called the simulation overwhelming but a great lesson in empathy.
“A simulation like this brings it home. It makes it feel real. When you’re having to get a pay day loan, or when the bank won’t cash your check because you don’t have an account,” said Steve Selders, vice president of Application Delivery & Enterprise Architecture at JEA.
