Circles Indianapolis (sponsored by BRiCKs Alliance, Inc.)

Previously sponsored by The Julian Center up through 2015, BRiCKs Alliance, Inc. now sponsors the Circles Indianapolis chapter of Circles USA as a successful example of a relationship-based movement that is working toward ending poverty. Circles works by harnessing the power of community through new volunteering approaches that focus on building social connectedness across diverse groups.

BRiCKs was founded in 2016 with the belief that Building Relationships in Community is Key for systemic change and sustainable development...because we are better together. By building relationships in community, we believe we can achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal #1: No Poverty (www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment).

In the Circles model, people working to overcome poverty in their own lives are matched with middle- and upper-income cross-community friends who support them in their plan to become self-sufficient. At weekly community meetings, Circles helps to build social capital and a community that supports each other along with other educational offerings. We remove barriers for participation in our weekly meetings by providing a meal and childcare at no cost.