Father deafeats poverty with the help of CirclesContinued

Utah Valley, an initiative designed to help struggling individuals and families achieve financial stabil- ity, recently celebrated another successful graduate.

Through years of dedicated hard work and goal setting with the help of a team of allies, friends and coaches, Provo resident Doug Roberts was able to improve his finan- cial situation, reaching above 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

As Roberts can attest, this was no easy task. “I couldn’t see past my own nose,” he said. It was then, in 2018, that he was first introduced to the Utah Valley chapter of Circles, an initiative that “empow- ers people with the resources and commu- nity support they need to achieve financial independence.”

These individuals are Circle Leaders, which Roberts described as an “eye-opening and mind-expanding” expe- rience, even if it wasn’t the experience he was initially looking for.

Prior to finding Circles, Roberts and his wife, Emily, had signed a two-year lease on a basement apart- ment that they thought was going to be a good home for them and their two young daugh- ters.

When they got a new landlord their rents was increased to an unaffordable level for the family. They moved out and, essen- tially homeless, lived in hotels and Airbnbs.

When Roberts went to Community Action Services and Food Bank to seek help with purchasing a house he saw a flyer advertis- ing Circles and soon thereafter began the program.

A significant part of Circles is the Circle Al- lies, “middle-class vol- unteers from the com- munity who become intentional friends to struggling individuals and families by pro- viding encouragement, acceptance, support, life experience, and social networks.”

So, soon after joining Circles, Roberts was introduced to a new circle of friends and helpmates.

“There are so many people at Community Action Services fo- cused on loving and serving,” Roberts said. “Lucy Perkins, (Circles American Fork Coach) has an energy, enthu- siasm, and zeal for helping those who have struggled financially. She has really reached out and shown incred- ible support, going above and beyond the call of duty. She even fought alongside us in court, standing up for me and helping us make our lives better for us and our girls.”

As his ally, Bryan Kingsford has offered Roberts odd jobs to help him earn some extra income. Once, Kingford’s yard needed to be weeded. Roberts brought his daughters to Kingsford’s home to teach them the importance of work, and while he weeded, Kingsford and his wife entertained the girls in their grandchildren’s playroom.

Bruce Dew has been an ally for only about six months, but he has offered invaluable support as Roberts has restabilized after a sig- nificant mental health struggle. While Rob- erts required super- vised visitation, Dew accompanied Roberts on an outing with his girls to provide extra support.

Through the Circles 12-week educational course and the con- tinuing mentorship of his allies, Roberts has learned three major principles: First, stew- ardship. People can get stuck in a distorted mindset—they become stuck believing untrue ideas about themselves and the world, and they can’t get out of that mental monkey trap.