“In Elgin, we help parents grow their leadership. Like COFI, we accompany them and keep helping them grow.”

Meet Silvia! Nearly 10 years ago, Silvia didn’t know what COFI was until a classmate from her English class invited her to a training. She thought she heard “coffee” and thought: “Ok, let’s go get coffee!” 

Silvia, along with Elgin leaders Esther and Nisela, are “veterans” of the Elgin branch and have been there the longest. She’s held many roles in her branch and across COFI/POWER-PAC IL. 

She’s been a trainer in The COFI Way, a community healer when parents explored peer-to-peer solutions to help fill gaps in mental healthcare, and a proud parent leader. 

When she first arrived in the United States, she came with the same hope and aspiration that many immigrants share: “the American dream.” But, after joining COFI and taking training, she said, “I realized there was more to it.” 

COFI training and the POWER-PAC IL parents helped her turn her dreams and goals into clearer, easier-to-follow steps by breaking each goal down step-by-step.

In the first phase of training (Phase 1: Self, Family & Team + Team Building), she learned about herself, her goals outside her family, and how to find support to reach them. That framework of starting with yourself has stayed with her and continues to shape her today. 

“What I really liked and still like about COFI is how they help parents grow in leadership, but they don’t leave you alone. They hold your hand and accompany you so that you can continue to grow,” she said. 

She’s grown from a stay-at-home mother new to the United States into a powerful voice for families in Elgin and throughout the state. 

Silvia and the Elgin branch have also been part of POWER-PAC IL campaigns that delivered real wins for families in their communities. One example is helping win universal free breakfast for students in her school district, District U-46, which helped ensure that children who catch the earliest buses arrive ready to learn. “If they didn’t have breakfast, how were they supposed to be ready to learn?” 

And, as a peer trainer in The COFI Way, Silvia has helped build COFI and POWER-PAC IL’s reach beyond Elgin. She has traveled to Aurora and other communities that are interested in training and working with parent leaders. As someone who once trembled at the thought of speaking in public, she’s come a long way! 

Her dream is simple – she wants COFI training available everywhere. She wants to see it across Illinois and the country, so no parent has to figure out policies and systems alone. 

“If I hadn’t met COFI, I might not have gotten to where I am today,” she said. “COFI opened doors for me in the community.”