Catching the first of four buses means waking up at 5 a.m.
Every Wednesday, Jonathan Thompson makes his way from his home in Indianapolis to Franklin. He has to be here before noon in order to start his shift volunteering at the Interchurch Food Pantry. When he’s done at the pantry, he meets with Bridges Alliance of Johnson County as he continues the fight to raise himself out of poverty.
That makes for a long day. But for Thompson, it’s important that he makes it both to his volunteering responsibility and his commitment to the Bridges Alliance.
“Everything I have is because of this. I didn’t think it was possible to do this. I was homeless, living on the streets. But after coming here, it’s turned all around. It’s been amazing,” Thompson said.
He is one of the local residents who have found success with Bridges Alliance and its program. One year ago, he was mired in depression and without many options to break out of poverty. Earlier this month, he purchased his first home. The resources and support from those he’s met through the program has provided more stability than he has had in years.
In the process of helping families change their lives, Bridges Alliance is in need of volunteers as well as people who want to participate in the program. The group will host an information session about its work at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Those who have been through it encourage anyone who feels trapped by poverty to come.
“Go for it. You’ll really learn a lot. It’s a wonderful experience, you meet a lot of different people, some are in the same situation you are, some might be in a totally different situation,” said Jen Lucas, a Greenwood resident who is in the program. “We all come from different walks of life.”
Bridges Alliance of Johnson County is a collaboration between businesses, social service agencies, churches and individuals working together to end poverty in the community. The program provides the tools, resources, support and relationships necessary to be successful, helping people establish stability and independence in their lives.
The organization uses parts of two different nationally recognized anti-poverty programs. 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.
People interested in breaking the cycle of poverty in their lives take part in a 14-week workshop called Surviving to Thriving. They meet each week to learn information such as keeping a budget, how to apply and interview for a job, and setting goals.
In addition, volunteers help provide support and guidance along their journey.
After graduating from Surviving to Thriving, participants become Circle Leaders. They are paired with intentional friends called Allies, who help them continue working toward the goals they’ve set.
Lucas has been part of the Circles Johnson County program for more than a year. She learned about it as a client at the Interchurch Food Pantry.
“I thought, ‘Why not?’ If it would help me get out of where I was at, that’s cool,” she said.
Lucas admits she was intimidated at first going through Surviving to Thriving, and didn’t know what to expect. But she soon discovered that the atmosphere was welcoming, the people were helpful and the information she learned was life-changing.
She was setting goals for herself, and worked hard on budgeting, something she’s still hoping to improve.
“I’m still working on things, but I’ve been able to set a few goals with my job and being able to work better with my 15-year-old daughter, work on our relationship. I’m learning how to save money so we can get into a good home,” she said.
After graduating the program, Lucas was paired with an Ally: Cheryl Sever. Sever has been involved for years in local efforts to eliminate poverty in the community with her husband, Dave Sever, who helped found Bridges Alliance of Johnson County. For her, the opportunity to help people in need become more independent was enticing, and she’s found the experience to be rewarding.
“It is a way to make really fantastic friendships. That’s basically what it’s all about. We can point people in a certain direction, but they have to want to do it. We just want to be friends to them,” she said.
Sever sends a note or makes contact with Lucas every day, just to see how she’s doing or if she needs anything. That support has been instrumental to the progress that’s been made, Lucas said.
“It’s been a fun experience. She and Dave both have been there standing behind me, pushing me along, saying that this is what they feel I need to do. They always make it my decision. They just give me the encouragement,” she said.
Thompson signed up for the Surviving to Thriving program in November, also learning about it during a visit to the Interchurch Food Pantry. Unemployed and homeless, he had been coming to the pantry twice each month for food. One of the other clients at the pantry mentioned that she had gone through the Circles program and it really helped her.
“We got to talking, and she told me about the class, that I should check it out. I got the paperwork to do the orientation to see if it was a good fit,” he said. “Ever since then, things have really looked up for me.”
Thompson has been matched with three Allies. They stay in contact regularly, through phone calls and text, meeting face-to-face a few times each month. They were instrumental in helping Thompson with his new home, assisting with a truck to move his belongings and giving him a hand getting everything moved in. People have donated a bed frame for him, paint to spruce up the home and plumbing equipment to make repairs.
As he’s worked toward getting a job, they have provided guidance on applying, offered rides if he needs them and generally just encouraged him even when his journey has been difficult. Another is working to help him get a vehicle for transportation.
“My Allies have been a real big help at keeping my head up, to not be so down and depressed,” he said.
Allies come into the Circles program in different circumstances, but all do it because of their desire to reduce poverty in the community. Dee Johnson is passionate about environmental and income inequality issues. When she learned about the work of Bridges Alliance, she signed up.
The experience has been eye-opening, teaching her about the mechanisms and processes that keep those in poverty down, in addition to helping her discover the best ways to guide people as an Ally. She is also a volunteer for the Big View team, charged with spreading the word about issues related to poverty around the community.
“It can be frustrating sometimes, especially if you’re a person who’s a ‘fixer.’ You see something that needs to be fixed, and you fix it. That’s not how this works,” she said. “This is a work in progress, and we want to make the community aware and the decision makers aware of the issue here.”
The Allies are a key component of Bridges Alliance, and volunteers are constantly in need, said Leslie Daugherty, coordinator for Circles Johnson County. Those relationships are imperative to the success of the community as a whole.
“This Circles model of relationship-based volunteering is really important. We’re not giving them money,” she said. “We’re giving them relationships and hoping that can be the difference.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Bridges Alliance of Johnson County informational meeting
What: An opportunity for people to learn about the Bridges Alliance and the Circles program, a collaborative effort to end poverty by providing proven tools, resources, support and relationships. The event will include a short presentation, question-and-answer session and information about volunteer opportunities to help those working their way out of poverty.
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams St., Franklin
Dinner and childcare will be provided during the meeting.
Information: bridgesalliancejc.org or Facebook.com/bridgesalliancejc
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Bridges Alliance of Johnson County relies on volunteers to make its program a success. Here’s how you can help:
- Be an Ally: Intentional friends, or Allies, are assigned to each participant to support them in achieving their goals. They are community members who wants to be in a supportive intentional, befriending relationship with an individual or family working to get out of poverty. Allies provide support, collaboration, and advocacy, not rescue. Background checks are required.
- Help with childcare: Childcare volunteers help in our children’s department and care for children of our participants and volunteers during weekly meetings. They are needed from 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays.
- Serve meals: Meal servers prep, serve and clean up the meal we provide for our volunteers and participants, and are needed from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
Information: Contact Amanda Ott, recruitment team leader at Bridges Alliance, with any questions at 812-267-2257.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
