Circles™ is an evolutionary step in Family Support, bringing community volunteers (known as Allies) to partner with families who are pursuing economic well-being to end poverty in their communities. Circles™ wrap volunteer families (allies) around families who are moving out of poverty, and systematically support people to have enough money, meaning and friends.

Circles™ initiatives have three primary goals:
  1. Invite the community to join the human service system in helping people out of poverty.
  2. Inspire and equip the community to eradicate poverty
  3. Develop genuine and lasting relationships across socioeconomic class lines with an intention to facilitate low-income people moving permanently out of poverty.

Circles™ are by definition, unique to each person and to each community sponsor. There are however, three core values that all Circles™ Initiatives share: 1) Reciprocity—participants are given the opportunity and expectation to give back to the community for the support they are receiving, 2) Each participant works with the Circle to set goals towards self-sufficiency, 3) A holistic approach is taken that focuses on helping participants completely out of poverty and addresses all the barriers inherent in that process.

Additionally there are required elements of a Circles™ Initiative:
  1. Circles™ are not mentoring programs. "Circles™" mean having 2 or more (preferably 3) allies per Circle.
  2. The "target group" (known as "Circle Leaders") is supported in assuming leadership and decision-making roles.
  3. Meetings focused on building community with people across class and cultural lines are held weekly. Free meals and childcare are provided. An intentional plan to change the community’s mindset is in place. Without this, Circles™ initiatives become just another low-impact program strategy.
  4. Members actively participate in the local Circles™ learning community. The minimum requirement for active participation is providing bi-annual data to our office so that we can compile reports for all members to use for learning and resource development.
  5. Fundamental supports like cars and cash assistance are made available.
  6. A case manager is available to the Circle.

Circles™ is the opportunity for individuals and families to become active in eliminating poverty. For more information on the Boone County or Cole County Circles™ initiatives, please contact your local CMCA Family Resource Center or:

Copyright ©:Central Missouri Community Action, 2007 - EOE