Spent Video Game

The recession is hitting people around the country in many ways. Some laid-off workers have managed to find jobs, but the pay is low, or they don’t have health insurance. They may be just getting by. And a sudden expense, such as a car repair, can shatter their stability.

Spent, a new computer game, asks players to imagine that they've found themselves in this situation. The game was designed by the advertising firm McKinney for the Urban Ministries of Durham, which serves people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in Durham, North Carolina.

Reporter Cynthia Graber visited Durham and produced this story.