Circles Upstate SC empowers people by providing a community they can count on
Bruce Forbes has worked in the nonprofit sector for the past 28 years. He started serving the homeless in day shelters and now works as special projects coordinator for Sunbelt Human Advancement Resources (SHARE), a Community Action Agency serving upstate South Carolina.
When Forbes learned about a program called Circles that partners with local organizations to build community and end poverty, he knew he wanted to be part of it. “I give one hundred percent credit to Buncombe Street Methodist Church,” Forbes says. “They heard about Circles and wanted to create an outlet for their members to participate in serving people.” Since 2015, Buncombe Street has hosted Circles meetings.
After completing an application process, SHARE was selected to be the lead agency for Circles Upstate SC. It’s now one of the community programs Forbes oversees. The Circles network spans 23 states and parts of Canada, but this was South Carolina’s first chapter.
On Wednesday evenings, Circles participants gather to share a meal before breaking out into smaller cohorts. In the Circles model, the leader is an individual working to establish personal goals and plans that help them exit poverty. “They’re the leader of their circle of support,” Forbes says. After a 12-week training course, leaders are matched with volunteers (called Allies) who provide coaching, resources, and problem-solving support. The entire program typically lasts 18 months. This time commitment builds consistency and positive habits.
Circles of allies
In 2018, Felicia O’Neal became a leader seeking support for her in-home business. Circles connected her with business classes and even helped improve her property. She gained access to resources and connections she still has today. “It’s not your ordinary program,” O’Neal says. “When I started, I had just lost my dad and I was in a very bad place. They give you so much love. If you’re in need, whatever it is, they have it.”
Allies complete their own 12-week training to better understand poverty and support their leader’s goals. “Whether it’s starting their own business, obtaining higher education, or working through the FAFSA because an older child is now going into college,” Forbes says. Circles also offers programming for children.
Tobe Sizemore has been an Ally since 2020 and has completed three Circles cohorts. “I wanted to volunteer and was looking for something that was a long-term commitment,” he says. “As an Ally, you don’t have to have all the answers; a lot of it is helping figure out who does have the answers.”
Sizemore’s career in financial services makes him a strong resource for leaders seeking personal finance help, such as budgeting, improving credit, or increasing savings. In 2023, Sizemore became chair of the Circles Upstate finance team. He finds his greatest satisfaction in seeing others achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves.
Forbes agrees. “When you lift up one person, we’re all lifted up,” he says. “Being of service is an amazing opportunity to grow as a human being.”
Full Circle
The Leader: A person who is pursuing a goal related to exiting poverty
Allies: Two trained volunteers who assist the Leader with his or her goals
Support staff: Guide and support both Allies and Leaders
Resource Teams: volunteers with connections to community resources that assist Leaders and Allies.
To learn more about Circles, including how to get involved, visit sharesc.org/Programs/circles.php
