BRIDGES TO CIRCLES
Bridges to Circles is a new community initiative from Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida in coordination with Unite Escambia’s Poverty Solution Team. Bridges to Circles will match people living in poverty who have a strong desire to improve their lives with allies who provide emotional support and assist with complex issues. Bridges to Circles is a safe, structured way for people to build friendships across class and race lines.
It:
• Engages the community in solving poverty
• Develops leadership within the community
• Increases the capacity of helping organizations
• Addresses systems’ barriers that people experience
OUR GOAL
Our community’s goal is to reduce the number of people living below the federal poverty level in Escambia County by 50% by the year 2020. This impacts 42,935 people currently living in poverty (15.8% of total population) including 16,918 children.
WHAT IS A CIRCLE?
A Circle is an individual or family working to get out of poverty and two to four allies who support them in their ongoing efforts to develop the emotional, intellectual, financial, and spiritual resources necessary for self-sufficiency and stability.
WHAT IS A CIRCLE LEADER?
The Circle Leader is the individual or family of low income who is interested in becoming self-sufficient. The Circle Leader is responsible for leading the circle as well as receiving and giving support within the circle. The Circle Leader works with the Allies to build his or her life plan while using their knowledge and skills as problem-solvers and poverty experts to work on the poverty issues in their community. Before being matched with allies, a Circle Leader must complete the fifteen week Getting Ahead in a Just-Getting’-By World.
WHAT IS AN ALLY?
An ally is a volunteer engaged in an intentional, befriending relationship with an individual or family working on his or her plan to becoming self-sufficient. Within the guidelines set by Bridges to Circles, allies do what makes sense and what brings joy to the relationship. Before being matched with a Circle Leader, an ally attends three training sessions: A Circles overview, a Bridges Out Of Poverty seminar, and an ally training.
WHEN DO THE CIRCLES MEET?
Bridges to Circles will meet weekly for dinner and then a focused event. Activities for children and youth are provided after dinner. The first week of the month involves the Circle Leader meeting with their allies. The second week brings in a speaker to focus on a topic related to self-sufficiency. The third week has the Circle Leaders meeting together and the Allies meeting together for support and training. The fourth week looks at the Big View. Big View meetings examine the barriers that hold people in poverty and advocate for systematic change in the community. Four times a year, a social event is held on the fifth week of a month.
WHO LEADS THE CIRCLES INITIATIVE?
• The Bridges to Circles coach is a case worker who supports the Circle Leader in fine-tuning his or her plan and in navigating the social services system.
• The Bridges to Circles community organizer engages the community in developing solutions to the systematic barriers that perpetuate poverty and serves as the liaison for Bridges to Circles to the community and to the Poverty Solutions Team.
• Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida is the lead agency involved in implementing Bridges to Circles and in working with the circle leaders, their families, and their allies.
• Unite Escambia’s Poverty Solution Team includes people from various social economic classes and races who are committed to ending poverty. Many social services agencies are involved with a focus on high-impact strategies that change the mindset of the community.
HOW DO I BECOME INVOLVED?
For more information on becoming a Circle Leader, an Ally, or a member of the Poverty Solution Team, contact Bridges to Circles at Catholic Charities’ Family Strengthening Outreach Center, 1815 N. Sixth Avenue, Pensacola, Florida, 32503.Bridges to Circles coach
Estella Lee
Office: 429-7296, ext. 21
leee@cc.ptdiocese.org
Bridges to Circles community organizer
Haley Richards
Office: 429-7296, ext. 17
richardsh@cc.ptdiocese.org
Also visit us on Facebook:
BRIDGES NEWSLETTERS
Primer on Poverty Solutions- July 2010
Bridges to Circles Newsletter 8/09
Primer on Poverty Solutions
Getting Ahead in a Just
Gettin By World
CIRCLES NEWSLETTERS
June 15, 2010
June 8, 2010
Week of July 21, 2009
Week of September 8, 2009
REFERENCES
Unite Escambia Poverty Solutions Team