Circles Grand Rapids

Inspiring and equipping families and communities to resolve poverty and thrive is our mission. Circles is a long-term approach to end poverty permanently in our community.  Each week, local families working to overcome poverty (Circle Leaders) meet with community volunteers (Allies) over dinner.  Following the meal, Circle Leaders work with their Allies to achieve specific personal goals toward self-reliance.  Over time, incomes and savings improve, debt and public assistance decrease, and supportive social networks are built.

While parents receive tools to help manage money and time, improve career skills, and progress toward goals, Circles children and youth are building their own community of support.  Children's programming includes interactive, age-appropriate sessions on financial literacy, emotional health, mindfulness, service and volunteerism, compassion, and much, much more.

Circles is an intentional community built on the understanding that everyone has something to teach and everyone has something to learn.   We build relationships across the socioeconomic divide to support families as they lift themselves out of poverty.   Ending poverty - not just managing it - requires ongoing training, support, accountability, and the secret sauce so often missing:  time.  Circles succeeds by taking the time necessary – 18 months of weekly meetings – to transform and empower people from every economic class to eliminate poverty.  

•  Support Circles GR financially
• Become a Circle Ally, befriending and walking beside a Circle Leader working to achieve self-defined stability goals
• Provide meals (free at every weekly meeting) and warm hospitality
• Provide quality child care and programming (free at every meeting)
• For more information, contact jliske@circlesgr.org or call 616.309.7517