PROVO, Utah — Community Action Services in Provo is asking for help after it says one of its programs lost its main source of funding.
Circles USA is a national non-profit that partners with local organizations to create communities that help lift families out of poverty.
But Community Action’s chapters in the Utah and Heber Valleys are now in jeopardy after Utah’s Department of Workforce Services decided not to select the program for the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant.
“In the past, it has funded about a million dollars over three years,” said Jessica Miller, the Chief Impact Officer for Community Action Services.
Miller says the funding loss had an immediate impact, as they had to let go of six staff members earlier this week and completely ceased their operations in Heber Valley.
That means one staffer is left to cover about 50 current participants.
“All of those staff members were supporting individual families - one-on-one,” said Miller.
So she says they’ll lose personalized support and the ability to bring in more members.
It’s devastating news for those who have seen it change lives.
“The thing about recovery is - it’s scary,” said Christopher Beals, who lives in Orem. “Because a lot of people who are in recovery don’t know what it looks like.”
All Christopher Beals knew was that he didn’t want to continue living the life he had been.
“[I had] moments of despair, I wanted to pull my hair out - I didn’t know what to do,” said Beals. “I’d been living as an addict for 20 years…and I decided that I was finally done.”
Beals happened upon Circles Utah Valley three years ago.
“The first phase is twelve weeks of classes where they’re learning basic skills - financial literacy classes, communication skills,” said Miller.
Beals is one of more than 350 people they’ve served in Utah and Wasatch counties just in that three-year timeframe.
“Really, the focus is on, ‘Okay, well who is in your circle?’” said Miller. “How can you expand that circle so you have people in your life you can count on?”
Beals can attest to the program’s transformational nature given his past few years.
“I’ve just got a promotion at my work,” Beals said. “I’m going to school in August for social work. I now have custody of my daughter. I have three years clean.”
As Community Action seeks ways to bridge the funding gap, Beals hopes that people can see that Circles brings success.
“This isn’t something that people take advantage of - this works,” said Beals. “This helps people.”
Miller says they need help in the form of donations and volunteers. If you’re interested in supporting the Circles program, you can find more information here.
