Circles Upstate SC
Path to end poverty
Our vision is that everyone has enough money, meaning, and friends to thrive.
We invite you to be a part of the solution to reducing poverty in the Upstate. The Circles model brings the community together to help motivated people work toward stability and economic improvement. In turn, community engagement broadens the knowledge of people about the barriers and challenges poverty presents. We not only help transform the lives of participants in our program but begin to transform the community.
While there are many opportunities to volunteer, the most important, impactful volunteer role called an Ally is to become an ‘intentional friend’ to participants in our program who are motivated to achieve stability and economic improvement. Walking beside the Circle Leader on their journey out of poverty, they lend support and knowledge to help the Leader overcome the barriers and challenges Leaders may face. To learn more about being an Ally, click the link below:
Resource Teams
The Community Team
The friendly faces you see as you enter a Circles’ meeting are members of the Community Team. They are responsible for creating the welcoming environment that we have all come to know and love at Circles. They promote a sense of unity by overseeing the meals we share together before our weekly meetings. The Team also serves the children of our Circles Leaders by providing weekly programs with learning activities that help build meaningful relationships and teach life skills.
The Services Team
This Team helps identify community services that help Leaders with challenges they have to overcome. Their responsibilities are two fold: To educate the service agencies about Circles and help connect Leaders with services they need.
The Jobs, Education, & Entrepreneurial Team
This Team has the important function of helping Leaders identify and plan their career path. They help Leaders identify educational opportunities to help them develop skills to be successful in their chosen career. The Team offers guidance about educational opportunities and financial aid, connects them to job opportunities and assists Leaders in their path to starting businesses.
The Recruitment Team
This Team has the responsibility of recruiting volunteers and potential Leaders. They:
Publicize Circles in the community
Recruit people who are ready to move from poverty to prosperity
Recruit volunteers for a wide variety of roles
Help spread the word in the community about Circles.
The Big View Team
Facilitates discussions about poverty with local leaders
Helps participants engage with those in power
Encourages people to advocate for change in their communities
