As Circles USA continues to expand, the national office is grateful to add more infrastructure and reach to our system of chapter support. To that end, regional coaches are beginning to support the West, the Midwest, the South, and the Mid-Atlantic Region. Working across geographic, economic, and political boundaries, each regional coach hosts monthly regional community of practice calls for mutual support and collaboration, coaches their regional chapters on a regular basis, and advises new chapters in their early design phase before launch. They also support regional collaborations to expand local Big View efforts so as to have a greater impact on systemic change and inform the national office of regional trends and needs.
This four-part blog series introduces you to Circles USA’s Regional Coaches: who they are, where they come from, and how their leadership helps realize CUSA’s vision of communities in which everyone has enough money, meaning, and friends to thrive.
MY NAME IS…
Addie Hartnett, and I’ve coached Circles USA’s Southern Region (including FL, GA, AL, and SC) since October 2020. I’ve worked in many roles in my Circles chapter, Circles Orange County (now Circles Central Florida, which includes 2 locations: Circles West Orange and Circles Orlando) since we launched in 2014.
MY IMPORTANT LIFE EXPERIENCES, JOURNEYS, CHALLENGES, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE…
I grew up in a middle class family who modeled for me the necessity of welcoming others into our family and supporting them through difficult times. The greatest example of this is that I now have a sister who is not related by lineage, but whom my family took in while she was going through some very difficult family circumstances. She lived with my family all through my time in middle school and high school. This was the norm in my family: always widening our circle when someone needed safety, comfort, and love.
This upbringing led me to the field of social work—a career that, to me, was the clear way for me to practice what I had learned from my family and in church growing up. While in college, I came out to my friends, family, and community as gay. In the process, I somehow became a person that others felt safe to share their hidden sexual orientation and gender identity. And so, along with another person (who also found herself surrounded by LGBTQ people with no support or community), I created a secret support group for LGBTQ+ people through the Methodist campus ministry that I attended.
I learned through this experience that I had a gift for creating supportive community that not only made people feel safe to be themselves but that could also lead to community change. After meeting for several months, the members of this group gained self-compassion and confidence enough to come out to their friends and family. The campus ministry quickly changed from a scary place, where it was taboo to express LGBTQ + identity, to an affirming and safe place where LGBTQ students could practice their Christian faith. When I finally graduated with a Master’s of Social Work in 2013, I began working with St. Luke’s UMC in Orlando to start up Circles in our community.
SOMETHING SPECIAL YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OUR REGION IS…
We were the second regional community of practice, and we serve 13-going on-14 chapters.
A MAJOR CHALLENGE WE FACE IN ALLEVIATING POVERTY IN OUR REGION IS…
Our region is known to have some of the highest poverty rates with the least economic opportunities and lowest amounts of philanthropic and government money available to fund efforts to address these.
RECENTLY, OUR REGION HAS ACCOMPLISHED…
Meeting monthly for over two years! Our most recent gatherings have been centered on topics we identified and prioritized together. We share struggles, ideas and solutions with Ally Recruitment; learn about the effects of trauma on our Circle Leaders; and discuss how we can create Circles Communities that help address, process, and heal those adverse experiences.
ONE THING I WANT POTENTIAL NEW CHAPTERS TO KNOW IS…
Our community of practice is very generous with sharing what’s worked and what hasn’t. We’re really welcoming to new chapters and staff people, and we always have a good time together!
To find a local chapter or learn how Circles USA can make a difference in your community, visit https://www.circlesusa.org.