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Circles USA is excited to announce the kickoff of the Children’s Curriculum Pilot on July 13th with 6 different chapters across the United States and Canada. The pilot includes the first 3 months of our newly developed Children’s curriculum that will be introduced to the Circles network at the National Leadership Conference next April in Kansas City. Children’s educators and administrators, local Circles staff, and Chief Learning Officer, Carson Roncketto, are carefully designing this curriculum to allow easy adaptability at local chapters and sites. In January of 2016, the piloted curriculum will be released to the network, with the remaining 15 months to be released at the April conference. The curriculum being piloted specifically includes material around themes that the children’s parents will explore during Circle Leader Training, including: activities and lessons around Building Relationships, Respect and Service, and Financial Literacy. Accompanying the lesson plans are guides to be used in the initial planning of the children’s programming: Understanding the Framework, Best Practices for Implementation, and Behavioral Guidelines. Circles USA continues its expansion into states and communities at an impressive pace. The Circles model promotes a grassroots approach of equipping families living in poverty with the necessary skills to thrive and achieve success in terms of financial stability and meaningful family and community relationships. Research suggests that children living in low-income home environments have little or no exposure to meaningful learning materials, which translates to an achievement gap between low-income and middle class students at school. The involvement of families in the Circles model creates an ideal opportunity to compensate for these missing educational opportunities. The mission of Circles is to partner with families to end poverty in their lives and empower them to make positive changes to end poverty in their communities. Research shows that investing in an impoverished child’s future is an effective strategy to break the unrelenting cycle of generational poverty. Providing specific, strategic teaching to the children at Circles not only fights poverty at a personal level, but also prevents it at a community level. It makes sense to give Circles children the same opportunities their parents receive through Circles: to reflect on their past, find healthy ways to manage their present circumstances, and set goals so they can make positive choices in the future.    ###

In October 2024, CUSA executive director Kamatara Johnson presented at the Together We Thrive conference in Toledo, OH, along with colleagues from several other national anti-poverty organizations. Kamatara and Alex Ruder ( CED Director and Principal Adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta ) led an interactive workshop on the Benefits Cliff.  Conference organizer Emerge Solutions  described the gathering as “a unique opportunity to learn from international best practices, including Bridges Out of Poverty, EMPath Economic Mobility Pathways, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.”  The ES webpage expands upon “the value of all economic classes working to amplify the voices of individuals facing poverty and learn from their challenges and triumphs. Together We Thrive is not just a conference; it’s a collective movement towards a brighter, more equitable future. It’s an opportunity to come together, share our experiences, and work towards a common goal.” [Source] Attendees discussed the fact that one common goal across anti-poverty organizations is mitigating the Cliff Effect. Circles USA focuses with intent on this Big View topic when we present in the national arena, since benefits cliffs rank high among leading reasons people are trapped in poverty. We want to raise awareness and offer resources like our Cliff Effect video  and one-pager . CUSA also employs resources like the ATL Feds’ Cliff Effect planning tools . Kamatara shared, “This issue impacts our front-line workers and phantom workforce—those who would, could, should be working, but aren’t due to the penalties that come from advancing a little but not enough to be economically stable beyond government subsidies. The Cliff catapults people off the pathway to economic self-sufficiency. People’s dreams are deferred. By spreading this message and sharing the tools, we hope to create a wave of understanding and common agenda for policymakers, employers, and employees alike, to know that when we end the Cliff, we all thrive as individuals and communities.” “This conference,” said Kamatara, “signals a turning point for Circles USA in the national anti-poverty arena. Our organization has reconnected with old partners and made vibrant new connections. I look forward to all the ways these new relationships can strengthen what we are all doing to alleviate poverty in the United States.” In addition to fostering new partnerships and connections at this conference, the event’s proximity to the Circles Washtenaw County  chapter in Ypsilanti, MI, allowed for a surprise visit! Sarah Thornburg, former executive director for Friends In Deed (lead organization for Circles Washtenaw County) not only attended the conference; she also drove Kamatara and fellow conference attendee/regional coach for the South Cheryl Williams  to the Weekly Meeting. Sarah enthused: “We loved hosting Kamatara and Cheryl at our Circles Washtenaw County weekly meeting. I love it when I get to visit other chapters, so it was great to have them at ours. Circles builds community…even national community." Circles USA sends sincere thanks to Lynette Fields—executive director of Poverty Solutions Group  and board member of Emerge Solutions—for working hard to connect organizations leading the poverty alleviation field.   Says Lynette: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Emerge Solutions Board and Conference planning team. I'm grateful that they were open to including so many organizations that are working to alleviate poverty in the United States.” Much appreciation also goes to Coordinator Twana and Coach Carla for their hospitality in Ypsilanti.  “We had a beautiful evening connecting with Circle Leaders, Allies, and youth over supper, and then an insightful time learning about budgeting,” said Kamatara. "It was so energizing to be at the conference with so many people dedicated to the mission of ending poverty,” Sarah added. “It really brought home the point that TOGETHER we can have an impact on this beast of an issue." We look forward to more presentations, partner connections, and chapter visits in 2025!

November 11th marks Veterans Day in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA), this annual holiday commemorates “an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany [which] went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of ‘the war to end all wars.’” The USDVA calls Veterans Day “a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.” [Source]    Circles USA profoundly respects the service and dedication of America’s military personnel past and present. We recognize that each branch is made up, first and foremost, of families : ordinary youth, parents, siblings, elders, and spouses who are driven to protect and serve beloved people and institutions within their communities.  While each service member brings this personal orientation into their service, the economic and social hurdles that U.S. military veterans face upon discharge are systemic and widespread. Circles recognizes the historic connection between military service and low-income rural and urban populations, particularly from Southern states . “ The Veteran Working-Poor: The Relationship between Labor Force Activity and Poverty Status ,” a 2017 study published by the USDVA, states that of the “7.2 million working age Veterans who participated in the labor force (out of 9.4 million working age Veterans)...almost 341,000 (or 4.7 percent) fell below the official poverty level.”  Here, Circles looks at some of the common factors that impact veterans seeking to move from surviving to thriving in their civilian lives. Poverty, disability, and service: the changing role of veterans in the economy Pew Research Center (summarizing data from the USDVA and U.S. Census Bureau) reports that , as of 2023, “there are more than 18 million living veterans in the United States, representing about 6% of the country’s adult population.”  Pew’s research shows an evolving snapshot of who  serves in the U.S. military, as well as how those figures are likely to change in years to come: [O]ver the next 25 years… Women, Hispanic and Black adults, and adults under 50 will all make up larger shares of the total veteran population. The share of women veterans will increase from 11%...to 18% in 2048. The overall number of women veterans is also expected to increase, from around 2 million to about 2.2 million. The number of male veterans, on the other hand, is projected to drop from about 16.2 million in 2023 to just under 10 million in 2048. The share of non-Hispanic White veterans is projected to drop from 74% to 63%. The share of Hispanic veterans is expected to roughly double from 9% to 15%, while the share who are Black is expected to increase from 13% to 15%. This trend is in line with projections for the U.S. population overall. Today, 28% of veterans are younger than 50, compared with a projected 34% in 2048, even as the share of older Americans overall is expected to grow. [Source] As we consider the ways that intersectionality  impacts the total well-being of communities, Circles USA is committed to addressing root causes of economic inequality—causes which increasingly include physical and mental disability as well as race, gender  (including transgender service members ), sexuality , and economic class . The National Poverty Center’s study “ Work-Related Disability, Veteran Status, and Poverty: Implications for Family Well-Being ,” published by Journal of Poverty  in 2011, calls veterans “a sizeable and heterogeneous [or diverse] subpopulation whose health and well-being warrants specific attention among policy makers because of their service to the nation and the fact that many have incurred service-related injuries.” The study cites increasing likelihood of work limitation related to disability as veterans age, writing that—while “initial differences in work-limiting disability between veterans and nonveterans are small…as they age, the differences between veterans and nonveterans increase. By the time the cohort is in their late 40s and early 50s, veterans have a significantly higher level of work limitation relative to nonveterans .” [Source] Like many forms of discrimination, ableism  compounds already-severe economic struggles for the most vulnerable families. Researcher James Fuller, in his 2024 paper “ From Service to Struggle: Exploring the Link Between Service-Connected Disability and Poverty Among Veteran Households ,” finds that, although “veteran households with the most severe service-connected disability have the lowest predicted likelihood of poverty…evidence suggests service-connected disability is associated with an increased likelihood of deep poverty among already impoverished households [emphasis added]. Within this context,” Fuller concludes, “veteran households with the most severe service-connected disability have the highest predicted likelihood of deep poverty.” Housing insecurity, too, often hurts veterans seeking stability in civilian life. In their 2024 study “ The State of Veteran Homelessness ,” Mission Roll Call cites troubling numbers: Homeless veterans are three times  more likely than the rest of the U.S. population to be infected with HIV. They’re also more likely to be in need of dental care. Dental problems, like missing teeth, can be “ tremendous barriers ” to looking for and finding work. Research  also shows that homeless individuals are more frequently victims of violent crimes than the general population. Between 2020 and 2022, the National Coalition for the Homeless tracked nearly 2,000 violent incidents  targeting homeless individuals. The trauma of homelessness can also lead to increased suicide rates among homeless veterans. Suicide rates among homeless populations are estimated at nine times  that of the U.S. general population. [Source]   [Img source: Mission Roll Call] The organization further cites that “[m]ore than four million veterans reside in rural communities across the country. This includes many Indigenous veterans , who serve in the U.S. military at higher rates than any other group. Providing comprehensive, high-quality care to these veterans is a challenge, leading to further health disparities among these communities.” Economic relief for veterans: 2024 and beyond As the year closes, the American Legion reports that the VA set goals for conquering veteran homelessness in 2024 . As the Department of Veterans Affairs mobilizes to “permanently house 41,000 homeless veterans [and] prevent return of homelessness and engage in unsheltered veterans,” the Legion further notes that: For the last two calendar years, the Department of Veterans Affairs set goals to permanently house 38,000 homeless veterans each year. In 2022, the VA housed 40,401 homeless veterans and surpassed that number in 2023, housing 46,552. For 2024, VA set three goals: to provide permanent housing for 41,000 homeless veterans; prevent return of homelessness; and engage unsheltered veterans. As of April 30, 2024: 26,772 veterans have been permanently housed. This is 65.3% of VA’s goal of housing 41,000 veterans. 97.8% of the veterans housed have remained in housing. VA’s goal is to ensure that at least 95% of the veterans housed in 2024 stay housed.  Moreover, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) stated last summer that the Biden-Harris administration had moved to expand access to housing for veterans facing Cliff Effect  fallout in 2024. “A new set of policy changes…will help more veterans receive assistance under the HUD-Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, and improve their access to supportive housing developments,” HUD reported on their website: Veterans experiencing homelessness often receive VA benefits as a result of an injury or illness that was acquired or worsened during military service. Before this change, these benefits were considered income when determining eligibility for certain supportive housing developments—causing some veterans to exceed the income threshold for these programs. HUD’s policy changes will help more homeless veterans with service-connected disability benefits gain access to these housing developments. To advance this goal, HUD recently awarded $20 million “to public housing agencies to continue to improve the HUD-VASH program.” “No veteran should ever have to experience homelessness, but when they do, they should not face barriers to getting help they deserve,” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “This policy change will ensure that veterans who are receiving the disability benefits they earned through service and sacrifice can access the housing assistance and supportive services they need to resolve their homelessness.” [Source] Circles USA’s Administrative Coordinator Gena Atcher, who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1985-1993 and was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant, was stationed in the Medical Services Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, then at the Royal Air Force Upper Heyford in England, before  serving her final PCS (permanent change of station) at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota.  Reflecting on the importance of social supports for veterans at the chapter, community, and national levels, Gena says: “From my personal experience, the military and Circles have many commonalities. In basic training, we came together as raw recruits to learn how to be Airmen in the USAF. In Circles, we come together and learn how to be our best selves, too. Whether you're a veteran or a Circle Leader, you can count on your unit/circle to back you up, to be there to support you in the good and trying times.” However military service intersects with our lived experiences of family, work, or economic struggle, every one of us owes veterans a debt of gratitude. More than this, we owe our service members (especially those impacted by hardship and structural oppression) the basic resources to transition from military to civilian life with dignity, stability, and supportive communities of practice. We celebrate each Circles chapter’s opportunity to uplift these values and influence crucial policy  as we salute our veterans this November 11th… and every day. Sign up to receive our public newsletters Click the   Give to Circles button  and help us celebrate 25+ years of building community to end poverty!

We’re excited to announce that Circles USA is now a business partner of the True Charity Network .  Circles strives to foster intentional relationships with mission-aligned people and organizations. In recent years, we’ve reported on new collaborations with groups including Bread for the World , Ideos Institute , Leap Fund , the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta , The Workers Circle , and Scott C Miller Consulting —all partners whose tools and practices have deepened our thinking and expanded our approach to poverty alleviation.  The True Charity Network, our latest collaborator, is a national coalition of churches and nonprofits that serve people in poverty. True Charity helps guide these organizations along the path to effective charity by equipping them with hyper-practical resources to make their programs more powerful. No matter where charities and faith programs are in their journey, True Charity helps them find the next step to amplify their impact—moving beyond perpetual crisis relief to long-term development.  The organization is voluntarily funded, building bonds between the giver and the recipient that are beneficial for both: a foundational CUSA dynamic for thriving Circle Leader/Ally relationships. True Charity is challenge oriented, encouraging participants to confront aspects of adversity in order to grow people’s self-sufficiency. Crucially, True Charity’s model is also outcome driven, operating from evidence and measuring organizational impact (rather than just the quantity of things they give away). They offer step-by-step guides for innovative models, toolkits for best practices in program resourcing and implementation, and connections to a dynamic community of peers. And, much like Circles, True Charity supports partner organizations with templates and action steps to advocate for larger-scale systemic change. In order to offer their network some models that are already in use, data-driven, and time-tested, True Charity acts as a clearinghouse for some of the best pre-existing models in the field. Circles USA, as an endorsed partner organization, is thrilled to offer our members access to True Charity’s programming. We also celebrate the reciprocal exchange of skills and core values that CUSA participants will bring to the coalition, enriching True Charity’s toolkits with our own quarter-century-tested body of best practices for poverty alleviation.  You can learn more about the True Charity Network and tools here: truecharity.us/join NOTE : Thanks to our partnership, Circles USA chapter members can claim a 20% rebate on your first year of True Charity membership in their network. To claim, just mention Circles USA in the “how did you hear about us” box in your application.

As Circles USA continues to expand, the national office is grateful to add more infrastructure and reach to our system of chapter support. To that end, Regional coaches now support the West, the Midwest, the South, and the Mid-Atlantic regions. Working across geographic, economic, and political boundaries, each regional coach hosts monthly regional community of practice calls for mutual support and collaboration, coaches their regional chapters on a regular basis, and advises new chapters in their early design phase before launch. They also support regional collaborations to expand local Big View efforts so as to have a greater impact on systemic change and inform the national office of regional trends and needs. This blog series introduces you to Circles USA’s Regional Coaches: who they are, where they come from, and how their leadership helps realize CUSA’s vision of communities in which everyone has enough money, meaning, and friends to thrive. ++++ MY NAME IS … Hi everyone, my name is TJ Williams with Circles in Northwest Arkansas. MY IMPORTANT LIFE EXPERIENCES, JOURNEYS, CHALLENGES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE… I have been involved with Circles now for four years and was part of the launch team of the NWA chapter. I have been the coach of our chapter, as well as playing key roles in the strategic planning and development for our organization,  for three years now. I was first introduced to Circles back in 2018, when I was studying at Fuller Seminary and working at a local church on developing our outreach programs to address homelessness in our community. I am a singer-songwriter and novice gardener. I have two elementary-age kids and love traveling and hanging out with family. I am so excited to support our Central Region chapters in our work to reduce poverty!  SOMETHING SPECIAL YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OUR REGION IS… Northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest growing regions in U.S. and faces very real challenges in keeping up with the population growth. This is especially apparent in the growing number of people who are working but struggling to afford life in our region. A MAJOR CHALLENGE WE FACE IN ALLEVIATING POVERTY IN OUR REGION IS… One of the biggest challenges and opportunities that we face is in shifting the collective understanding of what poverty is, and what it will actually take to make real progress in our communities. RECENTLY, OUR REGION HAS ACCOMPLISHED… Recently in Fayetteville, AR, our City Council officially declared a Housing Crisis. They formed a task force focused on developing solutions and recommendations for the City to consider in response. This was a culmination of two years of work, beginning with one of our Circle Leaders advocating for, and mobilizing, her own apartment complex to address concerns about living conditions and code violations. Earlier this year we convened a community-wide event titled “Home is Where the Hardship is,” with 300 in attendance. It featured many of our Circle Leaders sharing their experiences as renters in our community. The momentum for addressing housing in our community has significantly picked up, due to the hard work and partnership of many people and orgs in our community over the last two years.  ONE THING WE WANT POTENTIAL CIRCLES PARTICIPANTS TO KNOW IS… Your voice, your leadership, and your perspective on the challenges our communities are facing are vital for us to make progress towards reducing poverty. ++++ To find a local chapter or learn how Circles USA can make a difference in your community, visit https://www.circlesusa.org/start-circles?tabs=FindCircles .  Read more about Circles USA Regional Coaches on our blog . Sign up to receive our public newsletters Click the Give to Circles button  and help us celebrate 25+ years of extraordinary volunteers building community to end poverty!

As election day approaches, Circles USA and people throughout the country are deciding the role they will play in some of the most consequential races up and down the ballot in recent times. Those who have the privilege to vote will determine the values, policies, and leaders we want to speak for us, and with us, today and in the foreseeable future. It has been exciting to see how many Circle chapters are already involved in educating its members, allies, and candidates about what is at stake for those living in poverty. It is now the time to ramp up our GOTV (Get Out the Vote)  efforts like registering prospective voters, phone banking, canvassing or helping folks get to the polls. Most important is to make sure that each and every person in your life votes if they are eligible. Some of our chapters are even offering its members discussion on how to make a plan to vote. It is no exaggeration to say that every vote counts . In recent years, exceedingly small numbers of votes have made the difference in elections up and down the ballot. For instance, Over 90,000 elections on the local level will be held this year. In the most recent election in Chapel Hill, a City Council race was won by 9 votes. In Virginia, the controlling party in its House of Delegates came down to a tie race in one district. Nationally, out of the 158 million votes cast in the 2020 election, about 43,000 votes in swing states (which reflect the largest electoral voting block) made the difference in the outcome of the election. Today, commentators, academics, and leading advocates representing low-income families, people of color, and marginalized communities are exclaiming that people experiencing poverty could be highly influential in the 2024 elections. One of the most prominent voices in this discussion is that of Revered Dr. William J. Barber II, founder of the Poor People’s Campaign and currently an associate director at the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School. In his recently published book, White Poverty , Rev. Barber demonstrates that poor people in the US can be the swing vote  in the upcoming elections. Using a more realistic number than the US government’s definition of who is “poor,” Rev Barber estimates that 43% of Americans are poor or low- income: those who would be unable to afford a $400 emergency based on their basic monthly expenses. Around 135 million Americans live on the edge of poverty. Imagine if even a small percentage of those folks voted for the first time in 2024! In this election year, we have the opportunity to significantly improve the lives of everyday families. Our votes can make it more likely that there will be an increase in access to affordable housing, comprehensive health care like Medicaid, jobs that pay self-sufficiency wages, and support for paid and unpaid caregiving to name a few. These are issues that affect all low-income people regardless of where they live, their race, gender or makeup of their family. The subtitle to Rev. Barber’s book White Poverty ,  is “How Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy.” One of the truths that he uncovers is that there are 40 million more poor white people than black people in the U.S.; while (as tracked by the U.S. Census in 2020) Black Americans had the highest poverty rate by proportion (19.5 percent). Another is that high income folks vote in greater numbers than those who are poor. The Poor People’s Campaign has set a goal of reaching 15 million unlikely low-income voters in 2024.  If we are to succeed, we must reach out, respect, and work together across many lines to support low-income people in leading their communities to get out the vote. For some time now, Circle chapters, staff and board have been learning new approaches to address racism with the intent to expand that learning to other disenfranchised communities. CUSA’s 2024 Our Votes Count Campaign encourages us to make a difference in this election year, reengaging those who have been sidelined and ignored for so long. Whether we are voting for a city council member, state legislator, or President of the United States, let’s make this election year count—and make sure that we all count in it. Joan Kuriansky, Board Chair and former Executive Director of Wider Opportunities for Women (Washington, DC)

Circles USA proudly joined chapters throughout the U.S. in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM). The event, which runs annually from Sept. 15-Oct. 15, spotlights “the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.” [Source] HispanicHeritageMonth.gov  emphasizes the scope of historic events and cultures that NHHM recognizes: “The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.” The site further explains: The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza , which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period. “Today,” notes The National Museum of the American Latino , “the Latino population in the United States today is over 60 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This makes up 18.9% of the total population and is the largest racial or ethnic group. Latinos continue to help fuel our economy and enrich our nation as entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, entertainers, scientists, public servants, and much more.” Circles USA supports a small-but-growing population of participants who identify as Hispanic, with ~6% of Circle Leaders self-designating as Hispanic/Latinx/Chicanx  in 2023. Last summer’s Circles National Leadership Conference in Orlando, FL—a city which boasts a nearly 34% ethnically diverse Hispanic population —offered a workshop designed to help chapters more effectively include Spanish-speaking cohorts in chapters. CUSA recently launched an expanded range of training and marketing materials for this purpose: media that addresses key considerations before getting started, plus best practices on the journey to supporting Spanish-speaking participants. In 2024, several Circles chapters have wrapped up their initial phases of Spanish cohort-building and are working to establish more. “I'm happy to share that our Spanish group is growing,” says Nora Neumiller , Circles Spanish Facilitator with Circles Utah Valley  based in Provo, UT. “I just started the third cohort this past Tuesday and I have around 16 new Circle Leaders who are very excited to be in the class. My first Spanish cohort started in September 2023, with six Circle Leaders participating who are still coming and working with their Allies on their goals. They had a great experience that’s been very successful for some of them. Our second cohort started in April of this year, with six Circle leaders—also still coming and working on their goals with Allies.   Nora concludes, “I feel very blessed to be part of something special helping our Spanish community, as some of the Circle Leaders are new in the country and trying to learn how things work here.” Guisella Toala, an Ecuadorian American participant in Circles Utah Valley’s original Spanish cohort, speaks to the life-changing effects of her chapter’s support: "I still remember when I met Nora, my Circles coach. She was awesome and explained to me about this program at a health fair… My financial situation at that moment was terrible, but then it was the  worst . Fortunately, in Circles I found the best suggestions and teachings for being self-reliant and improving my situation. As a mom with children, every session was the perfect time while my children enjoyed time with volunteers— they are awesome too. With the help of my Allies and friends, I'm working towards my goals, and I continue working hard for my dreams and giving a better life to my family. Thanks for trusting in us, you were the exact help that I needed in my worst moments. These words are few for how grateful I feel about this program, thank you for always being my support and strength. I want to one day be able to return as much as they did for us.” Learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month in the outdoors at the National Park Service’s “Mi Parque, Mi Historia” Read New York Times-bestselling author and National Poetry Slam champion Elizabeth Acevedo’s top 5 book picks for Hispanic Heritage Month Watch a short video with a wealth of National Hispanic Heritage Month facts Sign up to receive our public newsletters Click the   Give to Circles button  and help us celebrate 25+ years of building multicultural community to end poverty!

The Circles model rallies and unites people, resources and influence across lines of race and class to help end poverty and share prosperity. We are happy to announce that Walmart recognizes the unique differentiation and strategic advantage that Circles provides, and as a result, the Walmart Foundation – through Walmart’s global Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative – has awarded a $500,000 grant to Circles USA. This investment will help ensure Circles USA is positioned to expand the scope and scale of our reach and impact. We’re inspired by the commonalities in our mutual desire to empower people and believe that our partnership will elevate Circles to new levels. Walmart’s investment represents a major step towards building the long-term sustainability of Circles USA and creates a national and global platform to share community-inspired strategies to address poverty and increase prosperity. We’re proud of this partnership. The Walmart Foundation is currently supporting programs that will enhance the economic mobility of more than 200,000 women in our country. To date, more than $62 million in foundation funding has provided opportunities for more than 111,000 low-income women to enhance the skills needed for economic self-sufficiency. Through organizations and programs like the American Red Cross, Goodwill and Dress for Success, and now Circles USA, the Walmart Foundation’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment is helping women better provide for themselves and for their families. We look forward to the work ahead of us and continuing to bring together the best resources we can to raise people and communities out of poverty. For additional information about the grant, please contact Gena Atcher by phone at (888) 232-9285 or by email at Gena@CirclesUSA.org .

By Joshua Vail, C hanuteTribune reporter Circles program founder Scott Miller was impressed with the turnout at several meetings he had with leaders and volunteers in Chanute, Kan., on Tuesday. Miller met with Chamber Ambassadors, community leaders and volunteers in four separate meetings to discuss Circles, a program designed to bring communities together to help bring residents out of poverty. He has been working on reducing poverty for about 30 years and his approach has evolved over time. He said the Circles program in its current form started around 2000. Leaders and community members wanted to help bring others out of poverty, but didn’t necessarily know how, he said. Miller said the Circles program helps direct volunteer, human services, faith and community leadership efforts in productive ways and bring the entire community together to support people. “What Circles is doing is saying ‘all of these programs need to be put in a plan that’s personal to you,’” he said. “We work with people for sometimes three to 10 years if necessary to help them get where they’re going and their children to have a better future.” Miller also said community involvement is necessary because systems often need to change to get many people out of poverty. “That can only happen when the public will wants it,” he said. Miller said he saw many leaders and volunteers in Chanute who are willing to do that kind of long-term work with people in poverty. “There are so many people that have done their research and done their homework and know what it’s going to take,” he said. Miller was also impressed with the diversity of those represented at Tuesday’s meetings, with representatives from education, government, churches, human services and philanthropy. Miller said he focused significantly on the children of Chanute. “You have 1,000 children in poverty,” he said. “Let’s get the first 100 out and then see how we need to change things to get lots of children out of poverty, and lots of families.” “The meetings in Chanute were well-attended and the community was highly engaged in this effort to improve the lives of people in poverty,” said Heather Morgan, Project 17 executive director. “A number of citizens expressed that they were ready to work on this effort which allows people to develop friendships which will help people improve their lives.” The Circles program is implemented in Chanute by Project 17, a southeast Kansas economic development initiative. How to help the Circles Movement. Interested in: helping promote Circles hiring Circles graduates becoming an Ally (providing support to someone in poverty) assisting with meal coordination assisting with meal preparation assisting with child care coordinaiton assisting with child care assisting at the Circles meetings observing a Circles meeting in a nearby community, Iola, Joplin, Wichita, Newton Serving on a Circles Team (helping to plan and implement the program). For more information on how to get involved or volunteer with Circles in Chanute, contact Tim Fairchild by phone at (620) 431-3200 or by email at TimF@CommercialBank.net . Originally published online here .

Circles USA Partners with JobLingo LOWELL, AR, November 13, 2014 – Circles® USA partnered with JobLingo™ to offer chapters and sites across the United States and Canada comprehensive job readiness training content and innovative tools to help Circle Leaders move out of poverty. Dr. Jan McCormick, JobLingo Founder, and Circles USA Founder & CEO, Scott Miller, have joined forces to offer a hybrid job and career development curriculum to enhance current Circle Leader Training. JobLingo’s unique job readiness program titled More Than Ready: 7 Proven Techniques for Job Winners provides micro video lectures and workbook exercises using a facilitated web-based training model. “With more than 20 years of research and experience, Dr. McCormick is well-regarded for her work with at-risk populations,” said Miller. “JobLingo’s specialized job readiness and soft skills strategy is an excellent complement to our program.” “We saw an opportunity to offer job readiness skills training through a range of interactive, online content and learning tools. This model empowers Circle Leaders to meet personal goals as well as the needs of the community,” said McCormick. Circles USA has sites in 70+ communities, 23 states and Canada. JobLingo materials were recently released to the Circles USA network. ###

Dr. Jan McCormick will be presenting Job-Lingo Training on Monday April 20th, 2015 from 1pm-4:30pm. Dr. McCormick has offered to lead a training session for those who are registered conference attendees. Registration  for this training IS REQUIRED. Jan McCormick, Ed.D., is the founder and CEO of Full Circle Career Services, LLC. She has spent the past 18 years studying the job readiness factors that impact gaining and maintaining employment. Her Job Readiness Assessment (JRA) has been used extensively since 1997 by schools, agencies and non-profits helping new grads, unemployed, disabled and at-risk populations including veterans, single parents, teens and ex-offenders. JobLingo Job Training Workshop Whether it is a first job, next job or a career transition, this workshop will help you prepare Circle leaders to meet their employment challenges with confidence. The purpose of this workshop is to introduce Circles USA participants to the JobLingo Job Readiness Program design, activities and assessment process. After completing the workshop, attendees will be able to train Circle Leaders how to: Write a job-specific resume and cover letter Utilize assessment tools in career development and interview coaching Facilitate networking techniques and skills pitch development Maximize mock interview tools and techniques Effectively use a behavioral checklist strategy for coaching next-level performance

Scott Miller, CEO & Founder of Circles USA will be speaking at A Wider Circle National Conference on Ending Poverty on March 28, 2015. The conference will be featuring leaders from across the U.S and people of different backgrounds to hear about successful programs and to devise immediate actions going forward.