Coming full circle Poverty program shows results

Georgia Masterson’s expectations were realistic when she started the Circles program last year.
“If Circles could make a difference in one person’s life, it would be well worth it,” she said Thursday afternoon.
It seems that goal has been successful, and much more. Every person who began the program — meant to help bring people out of poverty and learn skills to further their professional lives — has a job, and is starting a fresh life.
Jonathan Lushbough and Bobbie Nunnery are two of the success stories in the program. Lushbough is working for David Toland, renovating buildings around town and writing for Thrive Allen County. Nunnery is working for TLC Garden Center.

“MY WORLD just circled around me and that was it,” Nunnery said.
She was at work at TLC Thursday afternoon, preparing to plant some ferns in the greenhouse and arrange plants. She is originally from Iola, and was working at Orschlen’s before she quit on an impulse — in retrospect, it may not have been the best idea.
“Finding a job was like pulling teeth,” she said. No one would accept her applications or even give her an interview. When a friend brought her to the Circles program, it was a step in the right direction.
Lushbough’s situation was similar. A friend bought him, admittedly against his will, but it was time for a change.
He is a seven-time felon and was recently released from prison in 2012. Getting a full-time job was something that didn’t even seem possible for him. His struggles were something he bore for his entire life, alone.
“It was something I kept to myself, I honestly thought nobody cared,” he said.
Masterson said people in the Circles program don’t know what sort of potential they have, and they definitely don’t see a different life for themselves, out of poverty.
The program looks to change that.

NOW that the second round has started for the program, all of the original members attend meetings as leaders. The group has grown this time around, and Masterson said she is happy to see positive results from every person.
Lushbough said he learned valuable lessons from his time with Circles.
“I’m not stressed out about what’s going to happen next, where my next meal is going to come from and where I’m going to lay my head,” Lushbough said.
He worked with the EmpowerU program at Allen Community College to rework his resume and work on his interviewing skills as well. With her job with TLC, Nunnery is working long and hard to replace the income she lost when she lost her job at Orschlens.
Her life has taken an 180-degree turn, as has Lushbough’s.
“It (Circles) gave me the chance to respect myself and have respect for others,” she said.
The program gave Nunnery a glimpse into something she had never seen before — a positive future.

BOTH Nunnery and Lushbough had the same answer when asked what they have planned for their future — they weren’t sure. The big difference between then and now? They can face their future with a smile.
“I’m the cleanest I’ve been in my life,” Lushbough said. He struggled with drugs prior to his time with Circles. He said he enjoys working with Toland and hopes to keep that up full time. He received a personal recommendation from Karen Culver with the EmpowerU program. That will be a tool in the future as well.
“I was suprised (at the recommendation), I didn’t think anyone could say something that nice about me,” he said.
As for Nunnery, she is working around 30 hours a week at TLC, and hopes to move into a full-time position in the near future. Either way, she has plans and that’s all that matters.
“I see a better future for myself,” Nunnery said. “I don’t know what it is but that’s OK.”

Masterson said the next group of Circles attendees are going strong, and she is seeing strong attendance. The Allen Community College volleyball team has been volunteering their time for childcare during the meetings, but Masterson said they are always in need of volunteers. For more information on volunteering, or being an Ally (support member for the participants), contact Masterson at Thrive Allen County, at 365-8128.