Move 10 Families Out of Poverty in Pitcairn

Hi Folks.

There are some new faces and new things going on at Circles.

First, the Circles Coach who helped launch our initiative in Pitcairn has moved on to another job. In her place, we have Rose Alexander Staples, who is a bright, warm, and energetic presence in our midst. People seem to be warming up to her nicely and after just 3 months on the job, she seems to have gained a good hand on the Circles process already. Rose is good at being firm, but kind and caring - an essential quality in our initiative.

Second, Circles has now developed its own curriculum instead of using the materials from another company. Because of this, we don't have to pay for materials! We download and copy for ourselves. I am hoping this is a permanent condition because it will save us hundreds of dollars each year.

Third, the Pitcairn Circles Initiative has drafted a plan, has gathered partners, and has gotten funding for expansion into McKeesport. McKeesport was once a BIG booming city, full of industry hustle and bustle. It is no longer. With partners like Bethany House Healthy Villages, Beulah Park United Methodist Church, Highland Grove United Methodist Church, the YMCA of Crawford Village, and the Heinz Endowments, we anticipate forming our McKeesport board this fall and beginning our first cohort of Circle Leaders in training in February 2014. Keino Fitzpatrick will be our McKeesport Circles Coach. He is well tied in with the McKeesport community, having worked with the city officials to successfully obtain a Kaboom Playground grant most recently. Please keep us in prayer as we move forward and expand!

Fourth, in Pitcairn, we just started our sixth class of Circle Leaders. It is a really big class with 13 people! Many of our folks have gotten jobs, learned to budget, gotten better housing, and made better choices about people, places and things that have previously gotten them in trouble. Along the way a few of them get discouraged and stop coming. Part of our job is to try to keep them engaged and full of hope, because hopelessness is destructive in this stabilization process.

Getting out of poverty is very, very hard for our folks. It is about transformation in the midst of creating new opportunities and networks, which takes a lot of time, perseverance, and motivation. Sometimes it feels like one step forward and two steps back. Sometimes the effort put forth feels like wasted time or spinning wheels. Circles is essential in this process as we empower, support, equip, and encourage people in their journeys.

Thank you for your continued interest and support!

Hello to all who have donated to the Circles Initiative in Pitcairn! I am excited to share with you some achievements of participants in the Circles program. Your dollars allowed us to help our participants learn how to budget, job hunt, achieve educational goals, and work together to address issues that make it more difficult to get out of poverty. Read the rest of this report and know that your donations have made a difference in the lives of these people.

Wednesday, August 1, 15 new low-income participants began the "Getting Ahead" phase of our Circles Initiative. They brought with them 12 new children, making Center Avenue United Methodist Church on Wednesday evenings a very busy place indeed!

At the same time, we have eight Circle Leaders who continue to work toward achieving their long-term goals of self-sufficiency. Here are some of their stories, much success which has come from the support Circles provides:

Chelsea, a young, single mother to 4-year-old, Braydon, has begun attending community college to study nursing while continuing to work nearly full-time.  She is doing well and demonstrates great motivation and persistance. She says the support she gets from Circles keeps her motivated as she faces daily challenges and occasional frustrations.

Teresa has just begun a part-time job using some of the computer skills she acquired through recent education. She will be helping with presentations, grant-writing, and other office tasks. This job will end her long streak of unemployment, add to her resume, and prepare her for more substantial employment in the future.

Aldo is currently enrolled in the same computer class that Teresa recently completed. Previously, he was computer illiterate and nervous about learning the computer. Each week he shares his victories as he learns how to use the Microsoft Office products. He feels good about himself and his goal is employment when he completes his training. Aldo recently celebrated two years clean and sober.

Diane has gained part-time employment. Her confidence has increased and the only government subsidy she still receives is medical disability insurance. She is hopeful that her job will increase to full-time and include access to benefits so she can afford to let go of the medical insurance and be fully self-sufficient.

Charlene, another recovering addict, had a job interview a few weeks ago. She has been offered seasonal employment which she is hopeful will increase to offer year-round employment. She would like to go to college and is intelligent enough to do so. At this time, she has a higher need for income, so that goal is taking a lower priority at the moment.

Dawn is recently divorced and has begun a new business in town, cooking, cleaning and doing laundry for a number of senior citizens. She is not certain yet if this is her long-term goal, but while she explores options, she is able to make enough money to make ends meet.

Two former teachers have offered to help recovering addict, Nicole, prepare for her upcoming G.E.D. Nicole just learned to read two years ago, and although reading is still somewhat of a struggle for her, she plans to enter college when she achieves her G.E.D.

Each of our Circle Leaders thank you for believing in them as they work toward their goals. Your dollars are changing lives! All of us at the Pitcairn Circles Initiative are truly grateful!