Ready for success

Living paycheck to paycheck, without any stability, was exhausting.

Natalie Smith wanted more out of her life. The Whiteland resident had devoted her life to caring for others, caring for those less fortunate and family members in need whenever she could.

Though she worked cleaning houses, babysitting and doing other jobs, Smith didn’t have her high school diploma, and didn’t know how to overcome the seemingly unending poverty.

“I wanted to get my life together. I’ve always tried to do that, but I would give up because I didn’t think there was hope,” she said. “But I have more self-esteem now. I have a voice. Before, I was scared to speak up and ask for help. Now, I’m not.”

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After 14 weeks of guidance, counseling and goal-setting, Smith and five other local residents have taken their first step towards breaking out of poverty. They have completed Surviving to Thriving, a program that helps people look at their current lives, identify what they want to improve and map out a concrete plan to meet those goals.  

Each participant realizes that this is just the start of their journey; work remains to be done before they reach the goals they’ve set. But for the first time in most of their lives, they are convinced that they can make a change in their lives.

“I want to be able to start living again, instead of existing,” said Jennifer Peoples, a graduate and Greenwood resident.

On Wednesday, the Surviving to Thriving graduates gathered with their families, friends and supporters to celebrate their graduation with a dinner together.

On centerpieces set up on different tables, each graduate had shared their thoughts and impressions of the program. Their quotes included sentiments such as “(It) Taught me to open up,” “I’ve got my freedom; I’m living again,” and “I feel respected.”

Each graduate had made a decorated poster board sharing their goals and plans for the future.

They had focused on tangible steps such as passing their high school equivalency exam, enrolling in college and getting a driver’s license. Other aspirations looked at personal improvement, such as vowing to stay away from negative people or to spend more time with their families.

“We call these ‘future stories.’ Sometimes when life is wearing down on you, you can’t think straight. You don’t have that future story,” said Marie Wiese, a team member of the alliance. “Sometimes, it takes other people walking beside you to help you to think outside yourself and see the possibilities.”

Peoples’ future story included taking classes at Ivy Tech to study business, exercising more to strengthen her surgically repaired leg and to grow stronger in her faith.

She was working for Caterpillar Remanufacturing in Franklin when she injured her foot and ankle, requiring surgery. Since 2017, she has been unable to work while she recovered, which forced her to look to social agencies for assistance for her family.

One of those agencies suggested she look into Surviving to Thriving. She learned about her personal strengths, which helped set her goals and change her mindset.

“The main thing I can take away is confidence. I’m so thankful for the confidence this group has given me,” Peoples said. “I’m ready to just live again.”

Surviving to Thriving is a program of Bridges Alliance of Johnson County, an organization formed to respond to the continuing poverty plaguing county residents. The organization is a collaboration of businesses, social agencies, churches and individuals working to approach the issue in a comprehensive way.

Resources from those different groups will help guide people caught in the cycle of poverty to more stable and independent lives. The approach is a long-term look at poverty, said David Sever, a founding board member of Bridges Alliance of Johnson County.

“Poverty is not something that goes away with a raise or with a new job. It’s not something that happens overnight,” he said.

The first aspect, encompassed in Surviving to Thriving, is to help people identify what they want to improve in their own lives. Participants learn to make budgets for themselves, set goals and find the ways to make those goals a reality.

“People who have been in poverty, they don’t think of the future, because they’ve lived in the tyranny of the present for so long,” said Carol Phipps, a member of the Bridges Alliance steering committee. “This program gets them thinking about their goals and the future.”

The program blends concepts from two existing anti-poverty approaches. Bridges Out of Poverty focuses on understanding the hidden rules of society that can keep people from succeeding, such as how the way you dress at a job interview can greatly impact your chances of getting the job, or how people can be labeled by the way they speak.

At the same time, Bridges Alliance has also worked with a group called Circles USA. The Circles model is centered around Circle Leaders, those who graduate from the Surviving to Thriving program. The idea is that these people can influence others in their own community through their experiences, to help others rise out of poverty.

“That means a lot, because that can be hard to find when you feel like you’re the only one struggling,” Smith said.

Participants in this first Surviving to Thriving class started meeting in early May. Different situations brought them to the class, but each was united by their desire to do better for themselves and their families.

Jennifer Lucas, a Greenwood resident, had gone through a family struggle last year that forced her and her 14-year-old daughter to move in with friends. She was tired of not having the funds to take care of her family and do the extra, fun things with her daughter.

Surviving to Thriving seemed like the best option for Dana Fendley, a Center Grove area mother of four. She wanted to get her driver’s license, find a house that she and her family could afford and go back to school.

“I’m determined that I’m going to get ahead in life now, instead of being down on myself,” she said. “I’m doing a little at a time.”

When her daughter was sick earlier this year, Araceli Gonzalez had to walk to her school to get her, since the Franklin resident didn’t have a car following an accident. A school administrator told her about Surviving to Thriving and thought it could help her.

Gonzalez and her family rely on housing assistance, Medicaid and food assistance to survive. She was ready for change.

“I’m tired,” she said. “My dream is to go back to school, and I’m excited for that.”

Smith had learned about Bridges Alliance from a woman who had helped her at SS. Francis and Clare Catholic Church, where she attends. The Surviving to Thriving class seemed like a way she could lift herself out of poverty.

“Being in poverty doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person. It means that you got stuck and don’t know how to get out. In this program, I see a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.

Her goals included earning her high school equivalency diploma. She started working with a career coach at Central Nine Career Center, and is getting ready to start a program called WorkINdiana, which will help her earn both her high school equivalency certificate and a career certificate so she can get a job she wants.

Another mentor is coaching her on job skills such as creating a resume and interviewing.

“This class has shown me that there are people out there who care. They care about finding out what we’re struggling with, and they’re not judgmental. It’s about working together,” Smith said.

As Circle Leaders, the six graduates will now have a pair of mentors, called Circle Allies, to answer their questions and provide guidance as they work towards their goals. The volunteers will offer emotional support and advice as people work towards goals they’ve set.

They’ll continue to gather together to discuss their progress and their set-backs, working through the issues as a group.

“This is just the beginning. The journey doesn’t end with tonight; this is a long-term process,” Wiese said.

“This kicks off the next part of what Circles is meant to be, which is coming together as a community to offer support and strategize together on how to make the world a better place.”

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Surviving to Thriving

The next session of the Surviving to Thriving class is now accepting applicants. Here’s what you need to know:

What is it? Surviving to Thriving is a 14-week program designed for people and families struggling with poverty who want to change their lives.

Who organizes it? The class is put on by Bridges Alliance of Johnson County, a comprehensive approach to ending the cycle of poverty in the community.

What does it include? Participants will identify the aspects of their current lives that they want to change, create budgets and future plans and start working toward achieving those goals.

When does it start? Classes start on Nov. 7

When does the class meet? 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays at Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams Drive, Franklin

What is expected of participants?

  • Attendance at every class.
  • Be on time.
  • Never attend under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • Complete all homework assignments.
  • Only participants are allowed to attend the training.
  • Follow all rules that the group agrees on.
  • Respect the participants and all volunteers.

How to qualify:

  • Complete an application.
  • Meet with a coordinator.
  • Have secure housing.

How to apply or for more information: Applications can be found at bridgesalliancejc.org and can be emailed back to [email protected] or Bridges Alliance, PO Box 147, Whiteland, IN 46184.

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