Circles Initiative looking for allies to fight poverty

The Capital City Circles Initiative is eliminating poverty in Carson City one family at a time by giving the heads of working families, known as Circles leaders, the skills and resources they need to thrive, said Debe Hays Vaughn, spokeswoman for the group.

The third group of Circles leaders will complete their 20-week workgroup, "Getting Ahead in a Just-Getting-By World," on July 27.

"In this group, they have developed the skills they need to execute their plan to permanently lift their families out of poverty," Vaughn said. "They have formed a powerful group bond that serves as the emotional foundation for their efforts."

The next step on their journey to self-sufficiency, she said, is to befriend up to four middle- or wealthy-class volunteers known as Allies, and work with them in a Circle of Support to accomplish self-sufficiency.

What Allies do:

• Intentionally befriend a working poor family.

• Assist Circle leaders as they execute their plan to lift their family out of poverty.

• Do anything a good friend would do to help a friend in need such as provide emotional support, help solve day-to-day problems, advocate on behalf of the friend as needed, share skills and know-how, and introduce the friend to contacts who can help them.

• Attend a group meeting with other Circles leaders and Allies at least once a month.

Allies do not behave like parents or bosses, because these roles are the exclusive domain of the Circles leaders, nor do they give or lend money. The Circles Initiative has a revolving loan fund that Circle leaders can access for critical short-term cash needs.

Anyone who would like to be an Ally, is invited to join the recruitment meeting at 1 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Capital City Circles Initiative Office located at 808 E. College Parkway, Ste. 105.

For more information, call Brenda Silis, Capital City Circles Initiative Coordinator at 315-9469.