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How Does Food Insecurity Affect Canadians?

March 22, 2019
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| Categories: Circles
Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is a very real issue impacting the physical, mental and social health of over 4 million Canadians. Although food insecurity is strongly linked to poverty in our country, it can affect almost anyone at any time. Let’s take a deeper at this problem in our latest blog. What is Food Insecurity?   Food security is defined as “when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” When income is too low or unsteady, there is not...

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What is The Cliff Effect?

February 26, 2019
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| Categories: Bridges Out of Poverty, Circles, Getting Ahead
What is The Cliff Effect?

Have you ever felt like each step towards economic stability takes you two steps backwards? That as quickly as you start to earn a steady paycheque, your benefits and supports begin to disappear? Do you ever feel that it would be easier just to remain in poverty? Those feelings are part of The Cliff Effect, the phenomenon that occurs when social assistance benefits are taken away quicker than you can earn to replace them. Let’s explore The Cliff Effect and how Simcoe County Circles can help you navigate these important economic and lifestyle changes.   Let’s take Linda, for example....

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What is a Circles Ally?

January 25, 2019
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| Categories: Bridges Out of Poverty, Circles

Simcoe County Circles is currently looking for Allies in the Midland/Penetanguishene area to join us and help make a difference in our community. What is a Circles Ally? A Circles Ally is a volunteer that would like to be a mentor to an individual or family living in poverty and assist them with their Plan of Change. We are looking for people to build intentional friendships through mutual respect who would like to support individuals with their future plans. Allies will help increase their Social Capital by sharing contacts, information and experiences. What is Involved? Simcoe County Circles meet every...

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How to Make New Year’s Resolutions That You Will Actually Keep

December 17, 2018
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| Categories: Circles

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season will soon be over, leaving us with considerably lighter bank accounts and slightly tighter waistbands. This is the time that we reflect on the year that has passed and look forward to the months to come. Many of us set our New Year’s resolutions but, honestly, how many of us keep them? The problem is that we often set goals that are too lofty, too broad, and too hard to achieve in a short amount of time. If we truly want to grow and improve in the coming new year, we need...

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Change Your Mindset With Bridges Out of Poverty

November 22, 2018
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| Categories: Bridges Out of Poverty

Many of us view the world from a middle-class perspective. That’s how we live and work and raise our families but, when it comes time to help others, we may need to adopt a different kind of thinking. We may believe that we understand the struggles and lifestyles of those living in poverty but, in reality, we need to work together to increase awareness and inspire compassion. That’s where Bridges Out of Poverty comes in. Bring People Together Bridges Out of Poverty, a workshop presented by Simcoe County Circles, brings people together from all walks of life, regardless of economic...

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What an amazing year it has been!

June 14, 2018
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| Categories: Circles

November 2nd, 2017 at our first Circle night, we knew, within minutes, that lives were going to change. Yes we had a lot to learn and we happily dove in, knowing that every minute invested in this initiative was going to significantly impact the community. Throughout our months together, the Leaders and Allies built formidable relationships and have grown to care about each other like a family. In the first few meetings the group took the time to get comfortable with each other and by February we easily settled into our groove. We have each grown and been supported. Our very own Circles Coach, Michelle...

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You Can Now Attend Bridges Out Of Poverty In The Evening!

June 4, 2018
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| Categories: Bridges Out of Poverty, Circles

Now Available: Evening Sessions of Bridges Out of Poverty Through our many conversations with individuals throughout the County, across many sectors, we have come to understand that many of our community members, interested in Circles and Bridges Out of Poverty, are not able to get away for an entire day to attend the full-day Bridges Out of Poverty workshop. We're listening! And we want each and every individual, who is interested, to have the opportunity to increase their awareness of poverty in our community and be given the chance to shift their perspective and feel empowered to be part of...

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“At Circles I feel like I belong”

March 2, 2018
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| Categories: Uncategorized

Many of us who have struggled to fit in, find our place in the world and who work to achieve a true sense of success know the power of truly feeling like we belong. In Dr. Brene Brown’s research on belonging she asked a large group of eighth graders to define belonging…here is what they said: Belonging is being somewhere where you want to be, and they want you. Fitting in is being somewhere where you want to be, but they don’t care one way or the other. Belonging is being accepted for you. Fitting in is being accepted for...

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Is the answer Social Capital?

January 26, 2018
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| Categories: Circles

We believe that an important tool in the toolbox necessary to get out and stay out of poverty is social capital! Have you ever found yourself in a new situation, good or bad that you had no idea how to manage? You knew that you had to make a change but you had no idea how to maneuver this new environment? No idea what to do, or how to respond… uncomfortable, like an outlier? How did you figure it out? Did you Google it, read up, find some info online, collect resources from an info center? What if this new...

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Can children end poverty?

October 25, 2017
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| Categories: Circles

Can Children End Poverty? Similar to and in conjunction with parents and educators in schools, we believe that a significant part of our job is to teach the next generation. When children are born, their parents are their primary source of knowledge.  Once a child enters school their teacher plays a significant role in their lives as well, teaching them the core of academia. And one of the most important things, we believe, is that we ALL need to teach kids the value of helping others.  We view ourselves as educators and part of our goal is to properly educate...

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