Starting over takes courage. Natasha wanted a life free of violence for herself and her young twins, so she left a bad relationship in Detroit and moved to Ypsi. The transition was hard. She was working three jobs and had no one to cover for her at home. Then she found Circles, and with it the support network that she needed. “I felt isolated, you know. But now I have a sisterhood, a family.”

Halfway through the program, Natasha has a fulltime job that pays her bills and a car that was given to her through the Friends In Deed car donation program. “Circles teaches you the importance of having a social network and making connections,” she says. “It can help push you in the right direction. Even if one person doesn’t have the answer, the many people around you might.”  The larger Friends In Deed family is also a part of her progress.