On May 6th, COFI and POWER-PAC hosted our first ever statewide legislative training in Springfield, Illinois! Emerging COFI-trained parent leaders from East St. Louis, Elgin, and Aurora gathered with POWER-PAC leaders from Chicago to build relationships across communities and learn more about the legislative process in preparation for POWER-PAC’s Moms on a Mission Family Advocacy Day in Springfield.

East St. Louis team poses after a successful meeting with their State Representative and Elgin parent leaders participate in statewide legislative training!

The next day, nearly 200 moms, children and family members – including the East St. Louis, Elgin, and Aurora families – descended upon the State Capitol to advocate for a state budget that protects programs for low-income and vulnerable families and to support bills to limit harsh discipline practices in schools, increase funding for early education, raise the minimum wage, support peer health workers and address childhood hunger. Parents reached out to 55 legislators and Senator Emil Jones even committed to joining Dewey parent leaders for lunch in June.

Parent leaders left Moms on a Mission fired-up and ready to continue working together on a statewide level to protect the state budget and to make change for low-income families!