About the Show:

In this podcast episode, we sit down with Christina Williams, the Executive Director of CirclesNWA. CirclesNWA is a poverty reduction initiative of the nonprofit Innovative Poverty Solutions. The program helps people achieve upward mobility from poverty.

Christina shared her story about her passion for sociology and people and her experience growing up in a diverse community in Hong Kong. Then a trip to India with her husband encouraged her to find a way to help those who cannot always help themselves.

CirclesNWA has helped connect individuals in our Northwest Arkansas community to help move out of poverty. The individuals, known as Circle Leaders, are working to escape poverty. The Circle Allies, middle to upper-income volunteers, walk alongside the Circle Leaders throughout the 18-Month program. The program shows the participants how to leverage social capital.

Finally, one of the biggest challenges that the program undertakes is to help participants avoid the Cliff Effect.

“The Cliff Effect is one of the biggest yet hidden barriers keeping people in poverty. While a pay raise or new job should be a cause for celebration, too often for low-income households, earning more is a risky move that can result in having less. The Cliff Effect disincentivizes economic growth, a strong workforce, and job retention.”

CirclesNWA is working hard to help local families reduce poverty and avoid the Cliff Effect. If you know someone locally that could benefit from hearing this episode, please consider sharing it with them.

We are ALL in this together.

All this and much more are on this episode of the I am Northwest Arkansas podcast.

Important Links and Mentions on the Show*

Email CirclesNWA

Website for CirclesNWA

CirclesNWA on Facebook

CirclesNWA on Instagram

CirclesNWA on LinkedIn

CirclesNWA on YouTube

Innovative Poverty Solutions

This episode is sponsored by*

Signature Bank of Arkansas "Community Banking at its Best!"

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Northwest Arkansas Council - "Life Works Here!"

*Note: some of the resources mentioned may be affiliate links. This means we get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Signature Bank of Arkansas "Community Banking at its Best!"

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Looking for your next career move in Northwest Arkansas? Check out ONBoardNWA.com, the hyper-local job board designed to connect job seekers with leading employers in our community. From entry-level positions to executive roles, ONBoardNWA is your one-stop shop for job opportunities right here in NWA. Take the next step in your career and visit ONBoardNWA.com today.

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