30 Stories for 30 Years
Leading up to our 30th Anniversary Celebration on June 4, 2026, we’ll share 30 powerful stories of how COFI and The COFI Way model have impacted individuals, families, local communities, and policies and systems in Illinois and beyond.
Impact on the Individual
These stories highlight the impact of COFI trainings on individual parents as well as individuals who have taken trainings at The COFI Center for Action and Learning.
Nelly
“Being a mother doesn’t come with a manual, but COFI is like a manual, and they help you grow and lead.”
How Nelly embraced her leadership with COFI
Gloria
“We don’t stop until we figure it out.”
Gloria says she wouldn’t be the leader she is now without COFI
Doña Mari
“We will triumph and succeed in what we are asking for when we organize together.”
How one mother paved her own path with COFI
Talibah
“I didn’t want to stop.”
After completing the three phases of COFI training, Talibah kept asking: What’s next?
Leah
“This is how things work when parent voices are at the table.”
Meet Leah, a longtime partner and supporter of COFI
Strengthening My Family – Coming soon!
Through our trainings, parents become stronger leaders in their families. Parents support one another in gaining skills and confidence as family leaders, and also learn to set goals with their family members. These stories highlight how COFI has impacted parents and their children.
Local Organizing – Coming soon!
COFI-trained parents work together to create change. To make their community more family friendly, parent leaders meet with neighbors, find common ground, develop new programs, organize community-wide campaigns, and realize the power of a collective voices. These stories highlight how COFI started training parents in Chicago and expanded.
Changing Policy & Systems in Illinois – Coming soon!
COFI-trained parents create a cross-community policy agenda that starts with common concerns raised by parents, such as childcare, safety, or school quality. Together, parent leaders organize to communicate their ideas and concerns to public decision-makers. These stories will highlight POWER-PAC IL’s collective dreams and wins.
Building Parent Power Beyond Illinois
With the COFI Center for Action and Learning and with partners across the country, including those in UPLAN, COFI is catalyzing a national parent-led movement for economic and racial justice. These stories highlight how organizations outside of Illinois are using The COFI Way to build parent power.
Fredericka
“What I love about The COFI Way model is that it’s people-centered… it’s about the parents digging into themselves and finding transformative pieces.”
Building Parent Power in Kent County (Michigan)
Arthur
“This model is an opportunity for organizations to live into the values that so many nonprofits and community groups talk about, wanting to listen and partner with communities”
Building a National Network Where Parents Truly Lead
Ms. Rose
“The success of our 30 years comes from the voice of parents, who really are the experts in navigating life’s challenges and deserve respect.”
Building Parent Power “Worldwide”
Dreaming Forward – Coming soon in June
Reflections and visions for the next 30 years of parent power!
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