Monthly Archives: December 2020

Lives Transformed Volume 2: Covid-19 Stories – Part 4

Lives Transformed Volume 2 will introduce you to four Circle Leaders who have changed their lives with Circles even in a time of COVID-19. Here is Part 4 in a 4 part series honoring the hard work and dedication of our Circle Leaders and their supporting chapter.

“Circles opened the door to finding my passions and following my dreams.”

— Alyssa from Clearfield, UT

My family never worried about money until 2013 when my parents divorced. I was 14. This created some big changes for my mom, my brothers, and me. We went from a six-figure income to living on government assistance of a thousand dollars a month. It was hard for my mom to ask for help, but one day while at the local food bank, she heard about Circles and decided to give ita try.

My mom and I were both pretty shy, so when we first started going to Circles, we tended to hide in the corner and didn’t really talk until someone talked to us. I wasn’t old enough to be with the adults, so I played games with the kids. After awhile, I started to see a change in my mom. She saw how everyone at Circles was friendly and welcoming. Because everyone really cared about each other, she believed it was worth it to keep going. Once my mom completed the training and was matched with an Ally, she really started coming out of her shell—and so did I.

I wanted to make Circles a better experience for teenagers like me. So I talked to Lamont Hampton, ourchapter director, and he encouraged me to start a program for teens. I began with the financial literacy curriculum used in my high school and quickly financial changes. I wanted teens to understand how credit works and how to get a loan or even buy a house. I looked for other teenagers who were passionate about these issues and asked them to become Allies for our youth in Circles. We even started a podcast, “Poverty from the Mindset of a Teen,” and recorded three sessions before Covid-19 struck.

Even though life during the pandemic has been tough, our Circles chapter has kept going. We have actually helped our community grow closer despite the need for physical distance. Part of that included “Circles Invasions” where we offered Zoom sessions five days a week using a different theme each day. We connected online and even did yoga together. We didn’t stop with virtual connection. People from Circles dropped off fun snacks and organized surprise birthday messages in chalk on sidewalks and driveways for our Circles family. There has been so much caring and encouragement throughout this time.

Last winter, my mom became the first college graduate in her family when she graduated with her RN. She became a licensed nurse this past September. I am so proud of her! I’m following her lead and have started college. I am going to be a lawyer and advocate for the wrongly accused. But just because I’m in college doesn’t mean I have stopped going to Circles. It may be a 45-minute drive, but I’d drive a lot farther than that for Circles. Circles has changed me. I’m no longer the shy kid hiding in the background. I have found my voice and know that I can be a part of creating something positive for other youth. Circles has opened up opportunities for me to lead and helped me heal from the trauma connected with poverty. I can think of nothing better than to do the same for other youth like me!

Read more stories here.

Lives Transformed Volume 2: Covid-19 Stories – Part 3

Lives Transformed Volume 2 will introduce you to four Circle Leaders who have changed their lives with Circles even in a time of COVID-19. Here is Part 3 in a 4 part series honoring the hard work and dedication of our Circle Leaders and their supporting chapter.

“I didn’t have healthy role models growing up. Because of Circles, I am becoming the parent I want to be for my kids.”

— Eve from Derby, KS

I grew up moving around a lot because my dad was a drug dealer and both my parents were users. At the age of 10, my mom died from Hepatitis C. My dad got remarried when I was 11, but I never felt accepted by my stepmom. I attempted suicide and ran away from home for my own safety. Unfortunately, I kicked a police officer who thought he was helping me by trying to take me home. This resulted in me being charged with battery of a law enforcement officer, and I was put into foster care.

I bounced around different homes—some within my own family—but I was so traumatized from my young childhood that I tried to take my own life again. At this point, my dad completely abandoned me, and I spent the rest of my childhood in a group home for children. This was the first place I experienced stability.

When I was 17, I tried to go back to my dad, but my stepmom wouldn’t allow it. I then met a 29-year-old and married him. We had three children and divorced when my youngest child was just 2 years old. I met another man who seemed amazing but started abusing me within a year and almost killed me. Two more abusers were part of my life after this, and I lived in fear for several years. I lost job after job due to PSTD and constant worry about someone coming after me. My sister helped me move to a different city and got me connected with a case manager. I thought I was doing OK because my kids were fed and my bills were paid, but the case manager pointed out that I was getting help from the food bank and local churches. She ultimately helped change my life because she introduced me to Circles.

I was learning how to rebuild my life as I worked my way through the Circle Leader training. After I finished the training, I moved to another city and contacted the Circles chapter there. The director asked me, “What do you want for your life, Eve?” And this helped me take the steps needed to move out of a roach-infested apartment and start saving enough money to buy a house. Circles has given me the strength to hope for something better for my family and gain the tools and connections to make it happen. Getting my high school diploma was one of the goals that my Circles family wouldn’t let me give up on even though there was a pandemic. I had dreamed of what it would be like to wear a cap and gown, and when my graduation ceremony was canceled, my Circles family hosted a ceremony just for me. I wore my cap and gown! It was better than I imagined and all the more special because I was celebrating with the people who had cheered me on all along the way! I started college in August, 2020. I have been clean and sober for over six years and now serve as the Coach for my local Circles chapter.

Circles has provided a place of stability for both me and my children. Even though I didn’t have loving and supportive parents as a child, the director of my Circles chapter has modeled the kind of care and concern I want to give my own children. Now I have the opportunity to do that for my kids and other Circle Leaders.

As the Circles Coach, I have a special bond with each Circle Leader because I have something in common with each person. Childhood trauma? I experienced a lot. Addiction? I’ve been there. Abuse? I am a survivor. That connection with our Circle Leaders has been really valuable during Covid-19. I call my Circle Leaders every week to check in and encourage them, to make sure they keep moving toward their goals. It has taken a lot of extra work, but it is worth it. It helps me keep going on my goals too! I want to encourage others who are experiencing the same challenges I had.

Read more stories here.

Lives Transformed Volume 2: Covid-19 Stories – Part 2

Lives Transformed Volume 2 will introduce you to four Circle Leaders who have changed their lives with Circles even in a time of COVID-19. Here is Part 2 in a 4 part series honoring the hard work and dedication of our Circle Leaders and their supporting chapter.

“My story isn’t special. It’s the story of so many people that don’t have the ability to tell theirs.”

— Amber from Green Bay, WI

When I found Circles, I was at rock bottom. I was homeless and couch surfing with my two-year-old daughter who has cystic fibrosis. I was working three jobs, had five case workers, and still couldn’t find housing. I was running out of money and resources and looking for some direction. I heard about Circles while attending a required job readiness training class. I liked what I heard, but I also could tell that I would not benefit from this program unless I went all in. And so I did.

I have made a lot of progress, but that hasn’t come without significant setbacks. As of today, I am halfway to where I want to be. I have a good-paying job in a position that I am relatively good at. I have achieved the Circles goal of 200% of the poverty level. But along the way I got nailed with the cliff effect, twice! I got a great job and then an unbelievable raise within two months of being hired. With each increase in pay, I lost benefits that my pay increases didn’t make up for. I felt particularly distraught when I lost medical benefits for my daughter. But my Allies were there for me. They picked up food for me, helped get my daughter to doctor’s appointments while I was at work, and reminded me constantly that I was doing much better than I had been just a few of months before. They provided the support system that I desperately needed.

When the pandemic hit, it felt like just one more blow. I was worried about my daughter since we weren’t able to leave home. However, our Circles chapter decided to go virtual during the shutdown, so that helped. More importantly, both our Allies and other Circle Leaders regularly checked in on us—especially since they knew my daughter missed her friends from Circles. Our Circles director and coaches have been creative in orchestrating in-person, socially distanced, outdoor activities this past summer that allowed my daughter to interact with her friends again. These activities are helping my daughter recognize the voices and needs of others.

The last two years have taught me that there are no limits to what I am capable of achieving. I have achieved a lot on my own, but Circles people have helped me recognize capabilities that I didn’t know I had. I did not know that I could stand in front of a crowd of people. I didn’t know that I could be a part of changing the system that has failed me and so many others. I didn’t know that sharing my story could make a difference. I didn’t know that I had enough courage to acknowledge my own actions that brought me into poverty. I’m now involved in local politics and working to address minimum wage and other issues that affect people in poverty.

My story is not extraordinary, but now I’m not afraid to share it. When I started Circles, I was homeless. But I worked hard, started a new career, and graduated from Circles. Now I give back as an ambassador to the community. I am not done with Circles because the system has to change. It is not good enough that I made it. This is a struggle for so many people. People shouldn’t have to work three jobs and be homeless. They shouldn’t have to lose their childcare benefits or fall off any other cliff when something is just beginning to go right for them. I’m doing something about it!

For me, thriving means not living under the anxiety and fear that what I have is all going to go away. I don’t feel that fear the way I used to. Circles has provided people to help me overcome life’s rough spots, which has opened opportunities for me to advocate for others and make lasting systemic changes.

Read more stories here.

Lives Transformed Volume 2: Covid-19 Stories – Part 1

Lives Transformed Volume 2 will introduce you to four Circle Leaders who have changed their lives with Circles even in a time of COVID-19. Here is Part 1 in a 4 part series honoring the hard work and dedication of our Circle Leaders and their supporting chapter.

“My situation isn’t perfect yet, but Circleshas perfectly prepared me for my journey out of poverty.”

— Vivian from Ashland, VA

Even though I was born into generational poverty, I knew where I wanted to go with my life. I just didn’t know how to get there. My three children and I were receiving food stamps, and to make ends meet, I was working two to three jobs. It seemed like I was working all the time and there was no end to this pattern.

One day, the principal at the school where I worked told me about Circles. She said it wasn’t a handout, but it could help me get out of my situation. At my first visit, I felt an instant connection. Everyone was personal and friendly. This welcoming atmosphere encouraged me to get started. The matching process connected me with the perfect Allies.

My Allies have supported me as I have worked to meet my goals. Their experiences and expertise were the perfect fit for the kind of financial and educational support I wanted. Since I became a Circle Leader, I’m not on food stamps anymore, and my family and I are living in a newer rental. I started school, and I will finish my bachelor’s degree next summer. My five-year plan includes becoming a homeowner for the first time and completing a master’s degree in school counseling.

Being a part of Circles during the Covid-19 pandemic has been life-giving for me. Even though we were physically apart, Covid brought us closer together because we were all feeling this crisis in a similar way. Our Circles community met each week through Zoom, and our program leaders delivered food to our homes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t work for three months during the shutdown, so my savings got depleted. Lots of us had financial issues during this time, so our program leader pointed us toward resources for assistance. Circles reminded me that I was not alone in these challenges.

The most difficult part of life during this pandemic was the tragic death of one of my children this past Mother’s Day. My Circles community supported my family in amazing ways. One of the program leaders had gone through a similar death of a child and suggested counselors for my family. She also brought food twice a day for several weeks. This kind of deep support has impacted me tremendously. When I felt like I couldn’t go on, the support from Circles reminded me of my own strength and the strength ofour community.

Circles has reinforced generosity as a way of life for me. I have received so much from my Circles family in termsof resources, knowing what’s available in the community, and people who care. I am now passing these things along to other Circle Leaders. My next step is to become an Ally with our next group of Circle Leaders so I can pay it forward.

Read more stories here.

Q&A with Joan Kuriansky, Board Chair of Circles USA

Q&A with Joan Kuriansky, Board Chair of Circles USA

To refresh Circles USA’s vision for the future, we’ve been collecting stories from our members and partners. Here we share reflections from an interview with Joan Kuriansky, who became CUSA’s board chair in October 2020.

Tell us about one moment that shaped your commitment to ending poverty.

In my third year of college, I had the opportunity to volunteer in the social services department of a state mental institution. I was struck by how little resources were available to either patients or social workers to increase the ability of patients to heal and fully return to their homes and communities. It was at this point that I decided to use the law to affect the circumstances of people’s lives rather than only deal with the consequences of such policies.

What motivates you to continue seeking change?

As my career progressed, the relationship between gender discrimination and poverty became clearer to me. I moved from D.C. to Philadelphia to run a large-scale shelter and legal center to serve battered women and children. We established the first domestic violence courts in the country as well as the first program to advocate on behalf of battered women in prison. No matter what their economic class beforehand, women were often destitute by the time they sought refuge for themselves and their children. Some women could not even leave the house without permission or have access to a credit card. The abusers exerted power and control in so many ways and usually with serious economic consequences.

After Philadelphia, I returned to DC where I served as executive director of The Older Women’s League. Because of economic inequities throughout their lifetime, older women were more likely to be poor and in poor health than men. As women aged, their options were limited in large part because they had not been compensated for the family caregiving they had done throughout their lives and women, who did work for pay, were often segregated in low-wage, dead-end work.

My last full-time position was as executive director of Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW). In the early 60’s, WOW was established in response to women being increasingly unwelcome in the workplace after World War II. Women of all class and education levels came to WOW for assistance in finding work. Over time WOW made a commitment to focus on low-income women with less access to education. WOW established the concept of non-traditional jobs in federal legislation, offered training for women to get apprenticeships as pathway to well-paid work, and, later, with partners across the country, launched a variety of programs to build a family’s economic security.

Given your impressive career, what reflections do you have about these issues today?

Today, happily women are represented in all kinds of jobs, whether in STEM, law or Wall Street. And I sometimes feel hopeful. But the statistics tell a different and old story. Women’s work is not valued as much as that of men. Jobs, primarily dominated by women, are the least well paid. It will take many years to close the gender equality pay gap. Those affected most are women from backgrounds with less access to education, inadequate housing and lack of affordable and adequate health care. A disproportionate number of these women are women of color. Today we hear the economic consequence of the “shecession” of the pandemic.

We must use our experience with COVID-19 to build strong and thriving communities in terms of public health and the economy with a commitment to address the social and historic inequities faced by so many. We can use the upcoming period to reset the norms of what is possible, fair and celebrate the voices of so many that have spoken out this year whether through the Poor People’s Campaign, Black Lives Matter, our own Circles Chapter leaders or so many others.

How did you get involved in CUSA?

I first learned about Circles when Scott reached out to WOW to explore a partnership. I served on the board of Circles during my tenure at WOW, and then Scott asked me to stay on the board. I continue to be so impressed by the work of the organization. The Circles multi-level approach is a recipe for success.

What do you find meaningful in CUSA’s work?

Our job is not to manage poverty but alleviate it; that is important. The Circles model is holistic. It’s about empowerment: the families are making their own decisions and plans, with community members providing resources. We are building partnerships, not paternalistic or unequal relationships.

I love how all participants and volunteers become advocates for change through the Big View. There’s been such creativity discovered at the local level to address access to healthcare, transportation, broadband, and other issues. Gloria Steinem writes “ordinary women do extraordinary things,” and that plays out in Circles every day.

How would you like to see CUSA grow?

I am excited by the possibility of Circles’ programs and outreach expanding to different populations and responding to the systemic and historic inequities laid bare during this period. Are we using a gender or age lens? Are we considering the access to technology and transportation that rural or low-income families have or do not have? How do we build on the incredible strength and contributions made by so many people of color with so many different histories?

I envision communities that develop coordinated responses to lift families out of poverty that are centered on the experiences and wisdom or our leaders, with commitment from all sectors whether it be the government, private or non-sectors to develop the requisite policies and resources to implement the plan. Ultimately, I believe that the work of Circles, community, by community, state by state, region by region will ultimately inform a national vision and blueprint to meet the economic and social imperative to end poverty in the United States.

~ Joan Kuriansky, Board Chair, and Former Executive Director of Wider Opportunities for Women (Washington, DC)

Learning Agendas for Yourself and Others

Refining your Personal Learning Agenda

We are each having a certain level of impact on the world around us. The Transformational Leadership approach assumes we are ready and eager to make a more significant impact in order to bring about the vision for our life and the world we want.

Upon further exploration, my inner voice told me more about my personal learning agenda:

I need to regularly clean out the mental clutter and hone my ability to laser-focus on my priorities. The move to my smaller home cleared clutter from my environment. Moving to four days a week with Circles USA freed up time and energy to focus on activity that is in alignment with my emerging new vision. Writing this book is reinforcing the ideas that are most important to me at this time in life. My new project with Transformational Leadership is a bridge to a more authentic experience and expression of self. I am learning how to be happier and more effective.

The following “curriculum” might work for your next stage of development as well:

Affirm and act on your personal freedom in each day and in each activity.
- Ask yourself regularly, “What do I want to do? Are there any “shoulds” I can identify and clear away?
- Measure success by the amount of time and joy spent on meaningful activity versus how much money is made.
- Change routines by inserting new and adventurous activity that generates more joy and enthusiasm for life.
Develop structure to increase accountability to pursue high-impact strategies.
- Commit to developing and following through on a strategic plan for both Circles USA and Transformational Leadership. Ask colleagues to help you stay focused on the plan, changing course only by intention, not through any delay pattern.
- Build regular check-ins with those who also like to stay on track.
- Do the essential but sometimes uncomfortable work of a clear and courageous evaluation of our weaknesses, unhelpful default patterns, and shadow selves. This might involve interviewing loved ones or trusted colleagues or working with a counselor. Including a plan to address “opportunities for growth” only strengthens our personal power. Keeping an open heart and the courage to be humble makes us better leaders.
Clear out the clutter in relationships and activity.
- As soon as it becomes clear that a client is no longer in alignment with achieving the transformational vision that you are pursuing, let go, and align with those who are. Each week assess which activities produced the most joy and which did not. Commit to creating a more joyful set of activities for next week.

Self-Reflection Questions

Ask yourself again—and this time tuning into your heart a bit more deeply—what do I need to learn next in order to increase my capacity to change my life and change the world?
How can my Allies help hold me accountable to continuing my journey and achieving the milestones I have identified?
Who knows me well enough to provide loving but honest feedback?
What do I find most personally challenging, and do I know anyone who is accomplished in areas where I know I have room for improvement? Am I willing to ask for support?

Other People’s Learning Agendas

Additionally, those who align with our visions and participate in our programs will form their own learning agendas, so we must be prepared to help them find the right people who can facilitate their learning. They will first need to understand best practices elsewhere that might be implemented locally. What training programs and support systems can be tapped into to help them learn their new roles? Secondly, they need to learn what they personally must know, be, and/or do differently in order to play their roles effectively.

Learn more: Transformational Leadership: A Framework to End Poverty ~ By Scott C. Miller

To learn more about Scott Miller, please see his website here.