Reducing Poverty

Story By Natalie Salvatore Photos By Robert Noles

“I,

too, can have self-sufficiency” is the mindset that Circles Opelika works to establish in its program participants, said Regina Meadows, director of this non-profit organization.

Part of the larger, nonprofit foundation of Envision, this program works toward improving the quality of life of Opelika’s residents as it fights poverty. The task force at Circles is composed of social service agencies, community members and local educators, all of whom come together to help people improve their life situations.

Nationally, Circles reaches over 70 communities across 20 states throughout the U.S. Locally, Circles brought its relationship-based movement to Opelika in 2019. It works with the motto “to inspire and equip families and communities to resolve poverty and thrive.” Circles is a group for residents to gain knowledge of what goes on in their community, including what poverty looks like and what its barriers are, as well as what resources are available. This program works to provide long-term solutions over short-term fixes to create a sustainable and economicallystable community. The organization hopes the relationships it creates between people and families of all income backgrounds can continue the fight against local impoverishment.

Poverty can come in many shapes and sizes. It encompasses more than those without adequate food and nutrition — it can include those citizens whose jobs do not pay them enough to survive or encompass those living in situations that are just enough to survive. The Cliff Effect proves to be a significant barrier in preventing community members from getting out of poverty when they try. This becomes a problem, with the potential for a financial crisis when assistance programs essentially remove their benefits faster than people can earn enough income to replace them. This occurs in programs such as childcare subsidies and Medicaid. Circles works closely with low-income families to increase participants’ social capital and combat the Cliff Effect.

“I like to refer to social capital as people power,” Meadows said. To foster its visions, participants, called Circle Leaders, are each paired with an Ally that walks them through goals that they each personally established during the program’s first three months in a mentor-like fashion. Allies keep the participants enthused as they help them through their questions while becoming friends. The group meets weekly to build on the skills they are

harvesting, as well as to develop a foundation of support and a sense of community among participants who wish to take the next steps toward self-sufficiency. The program’s different classes, workshops and training sessions provide tools to its members as they transition into a more positive mindset and attitude. Members are exposed to resources, such as budgeting tips, and are connected to other resource outlets that may have been unknown to them previously. Exposing its Circle Leaders to parenting concepts and to the various tools listed above allows families to grow and prosper. Besides the families who have chosen to be a part of the program, Circles also benefits other people with its approaches and advocacy efforts, such as its financial focus.

“We talk about dollars and cents, but we also talk about how your health is your wealth — the costs associated with being unhealthy physically and mentally,” Meadows said. As families in the program learn, so do others in the community, as citizens gain a better understanding of the issue and what it is like for those living in poverty.

“The community benefits by having a more informed citizenry, and ultimately more disposable income for our families when they reach their financial targets, therefore affecting the economy positively,” Meadows said. As the director of Circles, Meadows works closely with its members and the community in any way she can.

“My role involves me being an advocate for the population we serve, being a liaison between service providers and those needing the services, and making connections,” she said.

For example, Meadows makes and provides meals to promote part of the program’s services. She also manages cases and follows up with families with additional needs for services or resources, encourages current families to stay on track, as well as motivates the volunteer Allies to keep everyone engaged.

“Circles means a lot to me,” she said. “As the first and only director of a Circles Location in the entire state, I am extremely proud of the work we are doing.”

She added that the training and preparation work the organization does for families changes lives and promotes overall well-being. Circles’ efforts also teach children, so they will know the importance of poverty prevention. Meadows explained how those who have gone through this program have made progress. It is an encouraging learning experience where members can develop their confidence and self-esteem as they can learn better ways of doing things they already are doing. She said she believes that as Circles continues to grow towards its full potential, it can really make an impactful difference on Opelika as a whole. “The work has long-term implications because it addresses behaviors and exposes families to a different way of doing things with tangible results,” she said. “This is very necessary work, and I’m so happy to be a part of it.” Meadows said that the financial impact from the pandemic was not as devastating to the program’s members.

“Due to the financial literacy that we’d begun, our families were not as shaken by the losses of COVID,” she said. “We’d already established the need and know-how for budgeting, so they were able to truly implement the things they’d learned in Circles’ trainings and workshops.”

Circles welcomes new volunteers who wish to join its mission of making the issues of marginalized populations known, as this program is always recruiting.

“We need volunteers to assist us in all program facets,” Meadows said. “Allies assist families that have committed to making a change by walking with them as they establish a friendship along the way.”

Volunteers can help with anything from providing the meals to helping with their childcare services. Circles is always accepting new families to the program and is thankful for any advocates that wish to support its efforts. Even for those that feel financially stable, there is still a place for them within Circles, Meadows said. No matter the reason for joining, Circles’ resources, training and networking opportunities are available to everybody interested.

Meadows explained how the more people that become involved, and the more that know what poverty truly is, the better Opelika can be. Circles is positioned to be a source of hope to those seeking help and support in this community, she said. The weekly meetings are held at the Southside Center for the Arts, located at 1103 Glenn St. For more information about Circles Opelika, fill out a contact form at www.circlesopelika. org/contact.php or email Meadows at rmeadows@ circlesopelika.org.