TULSA, Okla. — An economic slideshow followed by an interactive simulation into just how thousands of Tulsa-area families make ends meet was the subject of a presentation by Tulsa Area United Way to the Rotary Club of Tulsa Wednesday.
Research and Data Director Melanie Poulter reported the figures using numbers from MIT's living wage calculator. She told 2 News it challenges some beliefs about what makes someone financially struggle in Green Country.
"Many people feel like if you're employed then you're in good shape, that you can pay your bills. That's just not the truth," Poulter said.
Wednesday's presentation coincided with Tuesday's release of the Tulsa Area United Way's Community Insights Report for the pandemic.
"Even though child abuse and neglects reports went down during COVID, experts believe that child abuse and neglect actually increased," she said.
The audience of Tulsa's rotary club members also got to calculate their own household expenses given a theoretical income.
"It forces you to think through what it takes to live," member Harvie Roe said.
So what do the situations prove?
"Those are working families for the most part," Poulter said. "But what we find is wages are too low for them to be able to be self-sufficient."
The State of Oklahoma's minimum hourly wage, Poulter points out, has remained $7.25 since 2009.
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