Peace Connections News

  28th Cohort of Getting Ahead Graduates! Pictured from left to right: Matthew Gordy, Director Kendra Davila, Crystal Sollenberger, Sarah Bridger, Beth King, Class Facilitator Trianna Cowden, Jeff Browning, Valencia Hernandez, Levi Southern, Benjamin Brown, and Amber Southern. Graduates not pictured: Tammy Southern and MaryEllen Southern.   On August 5th, Harvey County Circle of Hope celebrated the graduation of eleven hard-working students from the Getting Ahead financial management and goal-setting class. This class was proof once again of how impactful this process can be on self-respect and personal determination. This group of people have been faithfully gathering on Tuesday evenings to explore their finances, causes of poverty, developing goals, and building hope for their futures. Now matched with their Volunteer Allies, they are moving on to their next steps: college classes, fitness journeys, home ownership and fiscal stability. These matches will persist for the...

  18 MONTH CELEBRATION  There is a lot of change in the air, which comes with the changing of seasons. For Barbara Smith, this also means a change in title. For the past 18 months, Barbara has been a participant at Circle of Hope, where she has been known as a Circle Leader.  A Circle Leader is someone who is leading the charge to create change in her life and hope for her future.  As she completes this 18-month journey, she will no longer be a Circle Leader in the Tuesday night program, but will be known as a  Community Leader! She has forged her way through the budgeting class alongside peers and two dedicated Allies- James Wenger and Marlene Faul. Barbara has been able to create a budget (and mostly stuck with it), recognizing each day as a new opportunity to try again. She has done this with humor and grace, expressing frustration at setbacks and joy with the accomplishments. Before Barbara even celebrated her accomplishment, she was already asking how she c...