Press Releases

November 9, 2008

Outreach offers help to those who need it

By Lynn Saternow, Herald Sports Editor
Mercer County – November 9, 2008 – There’s a new initiative under way in Mercer County to help low-income families overcome their status in life, but unlike many government programs it isn’t a financial bailout.

“I like to call it giving a hand up, not a handout,” said Olivia Lazor, former Mercer County commissioner who serves as a local volunteer coordinator for Guiding Coalition of Mercer County for the “Circles” national campaign.

“Circles is not a ‘program,’ it is an approach that works by personally reaching out, connecting with someone and sharing your wisdom, experience and support,” she stressed.

“There are about 30 up and running and six in Pennsylvania,” said Ron Errett, executive director of the Community Action Agency, the local sponsoring organization.

The goal of the initiative is to end poverty and help the clients, known as the Circle “leaders,” through guidance from community professionals and others, known as “allies” who form the circle with the leader and mentor them.

The leader meets periodically with the allies to discuss problems and find solutions. It establishes relationships for the low-income person with people outside the normal scope of their lives.

“Bonding and building relationships outside the family is key for me,” said Theresa Buff, one of the leaders. She and her husband, Jason, have two girls — Jessica, 8, and Jocelyn, 6 — but her husband has to work on the road so she usually raises them alone. “It’s difficult.”

“You find yourself isolated from the community at large,” said Errett.

“It’s better that the person is the leader of that circle, not us,” pointed out Ray Benedict, volunteer coach who trains both the leaders and allies at a series of sessions on how to work within the circle. “As friendships develop, the allies start to see some of the barriers that people face.”

Mrs. Buff said when problems arise that may seem small to others, they can be very hard for her. For example, a well pump recently went out and she had no idea who would be a good person to contact for help as some charge exorbitant fees. Fixing it would take her entire savings and her spending for that month. “It really had me down,” she said.

The idea is that each circle is built around the needs of the family, said the Rev. Dominic Verdell, associate pastor of Grace Chapel Community Church, Sharon, who serves as chairman of the guiding coalition. “We add allies in areas where they are needed.”

Although it’s not a faith-based program, his church members have already become involved in many ways.

Right now the Circles initiative is in the early stages and works on a skeleton budget. More funding is needed to buy materials and perhaps someday to have a paid coach or coordinator.

There are five leaders currently taking training sessions and hopes are to eventually be able to help a dozen families at a time.

In Circles initiatives already established, many allies have pointed out how rewarding the work is for them and they actually gain more than the leaders who needed the help, said Errett. “It’s a community initiative and the community will have ownership.”

Mrs. Lazor pointed out that as the leaders rise out of poverty because of help from the community, “that community becomes a better community.”

More allies are needed. Anyone who would like to learn more about possibly becoming an ally is invited to attend a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the third-floor conference room of Gilbert’s Insurance Building in downtown Sharon.

Mrs. Buff said that already she’s seen benefits of the initiative: “The interaction with so many different kinds of people has really helped me. I used to be in a shell before.”