When I joined Circles, it brought me to this whole new philosophy on life. I saw people in the same boat as me, putting one foot in front of the other, and Circles gave me that option to tackle it with them instead of doing it by myself.

– April, Circle Leader, Circles Green Bay, WI

Circles USA works across the nation at the local level to reduce poverty by building community. Through online or in-person training and weekly meetings, participants (called Circle Leaders) build intentional friendships with volunteers (called Allies). Over time, these relationships help families climb out of poverty and remove the barriers that kept them there.

In this video, Circles USA participants from across the U.S. describe how our model has helped transform their lives and communities.

“I’m so glad we had Lamont as the guide in this video,” says Board member and filmmaker Jennifer Pelling. ”He is so engaging and enthusiastic! He was able to distill all the big ideas of Circles into understandable stories and facts, and leave people wanting to know even more. I hope that anyone who’s interested in starting a chapter will hear Lamont and feel encouraged to take the next step!”

Brian Lawes, who directed and edited this video, adds: “It was really special seeing how the whole Circles model works, and all the passionate individuals involved in creating a thriving chapter in a community. I was happy we could capture these pockets of life change all over the country so others can see what it looks like to invest in the lives of families for the long term.”

FOR A DEEPER LOOK:
Vision: Circles USA