Building Community to End Poverty.
Together we rise. Together we thrive.
At Circles RVA, we believe everyone deserves enough money, meaning, and friends to thrive.
Yet here in Richmond, nearly one in five of our neighbors lives below the poverty line — almost double the rate of the surrounding region. Poverty isn’t just about income; it’s about limited opportunities, connections, and hope.
Circles RVA equips and inspires individuals and families to permanently move out of poverty and thrive.
The Circles Model helps people build a path to prosperity through goal-setting, supportive relationships across socioeconomic lines, and a community that grows together.
One of our recent graduates, Veri Brunson, joined Circles while living paycheck-to-paycheck as a single mom. At times she wanted to give up—but with the encouragement of her Circle, she pushed forward. Over two years, she rebuilt her credit, learned to budget, and this year, she passed the national funeral director’s exam after years of setbacks. She’s now on track to buy her first home and fulfill a lifelong career dream.
You can read Veri’s full story, along with more examples of the life-changing impact our community made this past year, on page 6 in our most recent Annual Report linked below.
Stories of Transformation
A Proven National Model
Circles RVA is part of the Circles USA network — a national, community-driven movement dedicated to increasing upward mobility for individuals and families living in poverty. The Circles model builds intentional relationships across socioeconomic lines to create long-term pathways to economic stability and self-sufficiency.
Across the country, Circles communities are seeing real results: participants increase their income by an average of 71% after 18 months, and communities are changing systems that keep people in poverty — from unfair eviction policies to predatory lending practices. Together, we’re transforming mindsets and moving from poverty management to poverty reduction.
