End Poverty in America using CirclesMove The Mountain

Each Circles initiative is developed and designed by a Guiding Coalition, composed of community leaders, families with low income, elected and appointed officials, and volunteers. The primary participant is a family working to get out of poverty, known as the Circle Leader.  Circle Leaders are trained in the Getting Ahead curriculum to build self-sufficiency through development of financial, social and emotional resources and to take a leadership role in addressing causes of poverty in the commnunity.  Each Circle Leader is matched with 2-3 Allies, middle to upper income community members who will have completed the Bridge out of Poverty training curriculum, which provides them with community planning tools to address poverty.  Leaders and Allies meet weekly to discuss barriers to getting out of poverty, such as expanding social networks and enhancing academic performance of both children and parents. Monthly Big View meetings address systemic change.