Bartlesville and the central Ohio town of Marion incorporate Bridges Out of Poverty in their efforts to improve the well-being of their citizens.

Bartlesville’s program, Building Bridges, features:

•  Getting Ahead classes, where participants, called “investigators,” learn how to get out of debt, recognize predatory lenders, set goals and communicate more effectively.

• A Circles track, which links Getting Ahead graduates with three to five “allies,” who offer encouragement and get them in touch with resources and support.

Building Bridges Executive Director Gina Elias said that out of the 19 who took the first few Getting Ahead classes, 30 percent obtained homes through Habitat for Humanity and 20 percent now are enrolled in a college. Nearly half the graduates are expected to attend college in August.

Graduates also managed to pay off $80,000 in high-interest debts, Elias said.

“A lot of that came by them managing their money, knowing how to use their tax refund and by getting a second job,” she said.

One member of that group has become self-sufficient. Elias would not identify the graduate, but said he is making a livable wage in a manufacturing job, has no credit card debt and is not receiving any government assistance other than a student loan.

Elias said the Getting Ahead class involves “a lot of self-assessment.”

The investigators look at what barriers — in the community and within themselves — keep them from getting out of poverty, she said. Class members also learn to set specific goals through a “life plan.”

“You look at debt, how to sustain a job, the way you communicate,” she said. “You learn the hidden rules in how to succeed in a middle class world.”

After graduating from Getting Ahead, many go on to the Circle program. Participants work with allies to help work on the life plan they developed during the Getting Ahead class.

Marion, a town of about 35,000 people, takes a similar approach through its program, Marion Matters. The program has been in effect for about a year and a half.

“We definitely do see a lot of success stories,” said Marion Matters board president Michele Worobiec. “We’ve seen people get their children back. One mom regained custody of her three boys by showing she had gained employment and secured housing. We had a couple of graduates go back to college. One left three pieced-together jobs for a full-time job. Lots of graduates gained employment or improved their employment. Lots of graduates improved their housing.”

Worobiec, a municipal court magistrate, said about 25 people have graduated from Marion’s Getting Ahead class. Many go on to the Ally program, which helps graduates get the “social capital” they need to land good jobs, secure housing and meet other needs, she said.

“Everyone has allies, they call each other, text each other, touch base with each other regularly,” Worobiec said, adding that the allies are of different economic classes.

Once a week the ally teams get together, maybe for a fun activity, and talk about their goals and what they’ve done, she said. Graduates establish relationships with people who have business connections and other contacts.

“We have seen amazing relationships, true friendships develop,” Worobiec said.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com.