Circle of Hope

From its very beginning Circle of Hope has had the dream of being a generator of businesses and so a generator of jobs and dignity in Philadelphia. We started with a little import shop called Worldly Goods on Tenth St. That failed and we started Circle Thrift. That almost failed and now we are profitable in two locations. With capital generated from the stores we saved up enough to have some seed money for a consortium of businesses who want to unite in love, share resources, and work together to encourage new business leaders and their enterprises as they seek to do business in a “good” way.

The consortium was formed on June 11, 2011. The Good Business Oversight Team is their link to the larger body of Circle of Hope, in that it delivers their dream money and helps people start dreaming.

Here are some beginning thoughts of what our consortium is

• It is the church expressing itself through business.
• It is a group of businesses that mutually support one another like family who are devoted to generating more good businesses and helping them thrive, especially in areas that need enterprise.
• It is a group of businesses lead by a agreed-upon rule that is implemented by a steering committee made up of COH and business owners on a rotating basis.
• It is an enterprise with enough activity and income to require a paid director, eventually.

Here are a few ideas of what our consortium does

• It creates good business where people are in need.
• It supports risk.
• It helps new businesses get off the ground and survive: gives “how to” advice,  shares financial resources, offers a solid formation
• It finds ways for brothers and sisters in business to mutually benefit one another.
• It mobilizes more assets to form more businesses.
• It learns and teaches how to participate in our economic system as Christians.
• It allows for “family style” community of shared workers, work-experience, and resources.

Here are a few ideas of what the consortium is not

• It is not about fostering “compassionate business;” it is about doing business compassionately
• It is not ideological — for instance, it leans toward green, but is not prescriptive.
• It is not an “entitlement” for Circle of Hope businesses; it is a relationship.
• It is not a dictator of hiring practices — but it leans toward employing neighbors.
• It is not an application of a “program;” it works according to mutually agreed upon principles that it collects and invents itself.
• It is not about handholding; it gives just enough support to get entrepreneurs a good start.
• It is not in charge of everything to do with business or business start up for Circle of Hope.

Organization

The Compassion Core Team holds the assets of the Consortium for Circle of Hope. It has formed and can disband the Consortium.

The Good Business Oversight Team is a Compassion Team of Circle of Hope
• Monitors how businesses enter and leave the Consortium.
• Reports and advertises for the Consortium to the Network, church at large and other constituencies.
• Provides services to businesses
• Helps new businesses with business plans and application processes.
• Approves applications already sorted and proposed by the Steering Committee.
• Provides for transfers from Circle of Hope’s Good Business Fund for Consortium action
Contact Josiah Lash: compassion@circleofhope.net

The Circle of Hope Business Consortium
• Creates its own life under the basic procedures and the criteria set in dialogue with the Oversight Team under the guidance of the Compassion Core Team.
• The Consortium Steering Committee is the decision-making body for the consortium. It is composed of five members with two-year terms.
Contact Martha Grace: circlethrift@gmail.com

Member businesses:

Circle Thrift

Pizza Brain

Bright Common Architecture

Schummer’s Sunoco