Poker is a great way to get to know people. Win or lose, it's entertaining and a great way to learn how the other players react to risk and whether they can tell a compelling story with their body language. But, for people to continue showing up for a regular game, everyone needs to feel like they have a realistic chance of winning.
It's understandable that it's hard to be motivated to play if you've never won, even if the initial buy in is modest. The unfortunate reality is that the best players typically pay the least because they don't need to buy in as often. So, when groups play too often, it becomes increasingly difficult to gather a critical mass. If you're going to play socially, make sure everyone feels like the entertainment is worth more than buying in.