As humans, I believe we have a deep desire to contribute, support and improve our communities. During the normal course of life we see friends, neighbors and loved one’s experience hardships including illness, trauma and poverty.
Then a microscopic virus enters our world, shakes the foundation and we see the distress these events cause on a daily basis. We see the pain and suffering and ask the question, How can I help? However, we can often become desensitized to this pain because we see it so often and because the metaphorical mountain seems too great to climb.
Poverty is one of these mountains. Before my engagement with Circles Salt Lake (a local nonprofit that helps families achieve financial self-reliance), I too wondered if the mountain called poverty could be climbed. I wondered, what tools would I need to climb this mountain, what knowledge should I obtain before the climb, and how do I offer help to those who are climbing it?
Being involved with Circles has answered many of these questions and I want to share with you some of my experiences:
Children are the ones who suffer most. There have been nights over the past few months when I get home at night to tuck my two young boys into bed after they just finished a healthy, filling dinner. In contrast, on these same nights I dropped off food at one of our participant’s homes and learned that some of the children that we work with had missed several meals and the food they are able to eat is often lacking basic nutrition.
These nights have become particularly frequent as the virus ravages the communities that need our help the most. These moments offer clarity that the mountain may be tall, but I cannot stop climbing until all children can be tucked into bed feeling safe with bellies full of healthy nutritious food.
The Circles model works. Circles pairs families in poverty with volunteers from middle and upper income socioeconomic backgrounds. We meet weekly to focus on goal setting and socializing. The objective of Circles is to collectively support families in poverty as they work toward achieving middle-class incomes as defined by 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines ($52,000 for a family of 4).
The Circles model works in most cases because someone further up the economic mountain reaches down to help lift someone up. Our participants feel valued and recognize that someone is there to help them break through barriers that they might not break through alone. With love and support, families in poverty are making their way to financial independence, which directly improves the lives of children in our community.
One of Circles Salt Lake’s greatest moments of 2019 was when a mother of seven and a refugee from Myanmar bought her first home. Her Ally, the name we give our Circles volunteers who support a family in poverty, helped this mother achieve this goal by being a friend, educating her about saving and investing, and preparing her for homeownership. These two women climbed this metaphorical mountain together. She now has a safe permanent home for her children to thrive.
Circles Salt Lake is collectively improving the lives of adults experiencing poverty through education, employment, and social capital. These improvements are directly affecting families’ lives positively.
It is possible to make a positive change. The Circles model is a great place to volunteer because families support families. The mountain may seem large, but we will reach the top. We invite you to join us as we climb the mountain together.
Benjamin J. Sessions CIRCLES Salt Lake County Executive Director
Benjamin Sessions is executive director of Circles Salt Lake County and president of the Sugar House Chamber of Commerce.