Kayla’s Circles Story
This is a transcript of a speech from the 2024 Circles of Jackson County Annual Luncheon. The following is Kayla’s experience with Circles, in her words.
Hello, my name is Kayla Loftis. I am here today to tell you a story. This story is about a girl who has overcome many trials. There once was a girl who grew up in a very dysfunctional home and lived in severe poverty. Her family lived on government benefits her whole life.
As she got older, she found herself struggling to make ends meet. The girl was unable to work at her previous job due to some medical conditions. She was looking for a job in an agency that would work with the restrictions the doctors required.
This girl ended up at the Department of Social Services (DSS) to request help with paying her power bill. In a desperate situation, she looked at the bulletin board in hopes of finding assistance. That is when she saw a poster stating, “Are you tired of not being able to make ends meet?”
Intrigued, she inquired about the poster while talking to the DSS worker. She stated that it was a program that assists people who are struggling and wanting to become self-sufficient. The DSS worker told the girl that she would send in a referral.
A week later, the girl got a call inviting her to the Circles meeting for an interview. She was very shy and felt awkward on her way to the interview. However, she still went and was accepted into the 12-week program. During the 12-week program, she learned how to budget, set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound), and many more important components of the program.
Within a month of joining the program, the girl started a new job and went back to school. The girl was able to work her way off all government assistance programs. She felt like she was on the road to success.
However, many years later, she experienced a life changing event. She suffered a traumatic brain injury at work. She was placed on workers’ compensation and started to struggle to make ends meet. The girl was determined not to get back on government assistance. So, she decided to live very simply and reduce unnecessary expenses. She was able to survive because of the lifestyle change.
During this time, she stopped attending school out of fear of not succeeding like she once had. Nine months later, she was able to return to work. Unfortunately, the job she previously had was no longer available. The girl felt like she was at a crossroad.
She decided to reapply to her dream job, which she had applied to before. This time, the girl was hired and is currently working in that position. The girl still felt like something was missing: being successful in college. For reference, the girl was the first in her family to graduate from high school and attend college.
After two years of healing, she made the decision to face her fears and return to school. The girl knew it would be hard. She would have to work ten times harder than anyone else. The girl successfully completed her first semester of college and felt more confident. She is now about to graduate with her third associate’s degree and three certifications.
During this time, she began volunteering for the same program that helped her become self-sufficient. First, she was an ally, then a board member, then the recruitment group leader, and now she is the facilitator of the same 12-week program she participated in.
Despite her condition, the girl has built a new life for herself. She may not be the same as she used to be, but she has started to appreciate who she is and how far she has come. To end the story, I want to tell your who the girl is. I am the girl.
I have overcome many trials, and I feel like they would have been impossible to get through without the knowledge and support I have gained from Circles.
Now, I want to leave you with my final comment. This program is a very important stepping stone to living self-sufficiently. Circles is the first step to a life of lasting change.