Become a Leader

A Circle Leader is an individual experiencing poverty that wants to secure a stable future for themselves and their family. They lead their journey from surviving paycheck to paycheck to thriving. Circle Leaders identify their goals and dreams, then with the help of the Circles community, work towards achieving them.

A Circle Leader Will

Commit to 18 months

Getting out of poverty won't happen over night. We want to make sure you are in a place of stability before you depart from Circles and have found that 18 months is the minimum to ensure that.

Attend weekly meetings

Weekly meetings are the secret sauce to success with Circles. We provide dinner, childcare, programming, and a community of support at them.

Identify a career or educational path

The goal of Circles is to get your household to at least 200% of the Federal Poverty Level which is an income threshold.

Work with their Allies and Coach

Your Allies and Coach will provide you with support to achieving your goals and reaching 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. We'll track your progress and accomplishments through check ins and progress reports.

By 18 months, participants-on average- achieve these gains:

increase in INCOME

76%

increase in EMPLOYMENT

62%

increase in reliable TRANSPORTATION

30%

increase in EDUCATION

64%

increase in HOME OWNERSHIP

39%

Circle Leaders Receive

Community

The Circles model is about Community. Our Circles community is large and inclusive. You'll have plenty of people rooting for your success!

Support

You'll receive support from you Circles Coach, Allies, peers, volunteers, and our resource teams. Support will vary in what it looks like depending on your needs.

Access to opportunities and resources

Networking and social capital are a large part of the Circles model, therefore, we encourage our community to share knowledge, skills, opportunities, and resources with one another. Circles Staff are always researching and looking for them too.

Weekly dinner, programming, and childcare

We host weekly meetings where we provide free dinner, childcare, and programming. Your children will be able to enjoy activities hosted by our volunteers, community groups, and teaching artists while you participate in adult programming.

Eligibility

Not currently experiencing homelessness

Circles isn't for individuals in crisis-mode. It's designed to support individuals who have some foundation for us to build on.

6 months of treatment for substance use or mental health

(if applicable)

The trauma of poverty is profound. We understand this and ask that if you have mental health challenges or a history of substance use, that you are 6 months into treatment.

Can read and write elementary English

Our programming materials are currently only available in English. We've found to be successful with the program, that individuals have an elementary level of English comprehension.

Lives in Salt Lake County

There are 6 other Circles locations in Utah. Circles Salt Lake serves those individuals living in Salt Lake County.

Read success stories

We’ve been around since 2017 and have helped end the cycle of poverty for many individuals.

Learn More!

Meet the Circles team

Your Circles Coach, Volunteer Coordinator, and Executive Director want you to succeed with Circles.

Learn more!

Learn about Allies

Allies are intentional friends that are matched to incoming Circle Leaders.

Learn More!