Home Programs Our School About Take Action Contact Blog PROGRAMS IN THE US COFIA works with students, teachers, schools, individuals and businesses to create programs that empower positive change and support education and leadership. PEN PALS Grade school students connect to the world though the COFIA Pen Pal program. PROJECT GRATITUDE Collection Drives provide academic supplies and resources for students living in extreme poverty. COFIA CLUB Middle and High School COFIA Clubs empower young leaders and raise social awareness. BIRTHDAY PARTIES Birthday Parties for COFIA inspire celebration through generosity and support academic and wellness programs. GUEST SPEAKER Be Inspired. Invite COFIA Founder to Speak at your school or business event. DONATE NOW Interested in donating to one of our US Programs? Take action today. Connecting Students — Pen Pals “Dear Akumu, My name is Veronica and I’m in the 3rd grade. I love to play soccer and draw. I have one brother and one sister, and a Mom and Dad.” Across the globe, another child replies. “Dear Veronica, I was excited to get your letter. I have six brothers and two sisters. What is soccer? I love football. I like my house and I helped my mom build it. Did you build yours?” The COFIA Pen Pal program connects children locally with students in Uganda, creating opportunity to discover other cultures, share experiences and participate in the global community. We know that corresponding with a child in another country sparks curiosity. Young students are fascinated by listening to what another child is telling them first hand. The world becomes real. A relationship is built. Empathy is born. A fire is lit, and before we know it, Veronica feels a call to action. Her world is no longer her zip code, her school. It has now grown to include another continent, another culture and a new friend thousands of miles away. PROJECT GRATITUDE COFIA COLLECTION DRIVES ARE NOT JUST ABOUT COLLECTING USED ITEMS, IT’S ABOUT SHARING EXPERIENCES AND THAT’S WHY WE CALL IT PROJECT GRATITUDE. Abundance creates an opportunity for us to seize. When we repurpose our excess clothing, school supplies, computers, books, shoes, office supplies and the list goes on, the connection to our physical abundance transforms into a meaningful experience. We embrace gratitude — the joy of giving. Our act of giving, in turn, results in others experiencing hope, possibilities, opportunity & freedom. At COFIA, we are changing our relationship with abundance, giving life to a new experience for those who have little or nothing. Annie Wright School, Bellarmine Preparatory, Gig Harbor High School, Lowell Elementary, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School, St. Patrick Catholic School, Stadium High School and Tacoma Concordia Lutheran — all participating schools in COFIA’s collection drive program to benefit impoverished students in rural Eastern Uganda. As a result of these successful drives, 40,000 lbs. of supplies ranging from books, paper, math games and crayons to clothing, blankets, computers and sports equipment, were shipped and delivered to a struggling primary school in Rubongi, Uganda. CHANGE LIVES. START A PROJECT GRATITUDE COLLECTION DRIVE AT YOUR SCHOOL OR BUSINESS. COFIA CLUB EMPOWER YOUNG LEADERS. CHANGE THE WORLD. Well, we listened. Yes, to YOU, young people. You want to do something big, really BIG? Guess what? It’s called COFIA Club.There is COFIA, Circle of Friends in Action. And then, there’s COFIA Club, a Circle of Students in Action.At COFIA Club, we open the door to a world beyond the classroom. COFIA Club is about curiosity. It’s about connecting the dots between global issues, solutions and experiences. We challenge you to think and act creatively. It is the COFIA attitude that you have power in your own ideas to make meaningful change. And in the end, change that matters = good leadership. A SPOTLIGHT ON COFIA CLUB PROJECTS At COFIA Club we talk about issues affecting students, just like you, living in a developing nation. Did you know that only 17% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa are enrolled in secondary (high) school? What does it mean to live in extreme poverty? These are just some of the questions COFIA Club puts on the table for conversation. As we like to say, meaningful change results from actions inspired by conversation. BIRTHDAYS CHANGE THE WORLD ONE CANDLE AT A TIME. Meet Torie. For her 9th birthday, Torie asked her friends to celebrate her special day by making a donation to COFIA. Torie raised enough money to fund more than 800 hot school lunches for children in Eastern Uganda. Guess what? Not only did Torie fund enough lunches to feed an entire school, she also started a movement. Torie’s act of kindness inspired other kids to do the same. Today, thousands of hot lunches have been served to students in Uganda thanks to birthday parties just like Torie’s. And if one kid can rally her friends to feed an entire school, imagine what all of us could do. #1 MAKE A BIRTHDAY PLEDGE #2 SHARE YOUR PARTY #3 SUPPORT A CHILD’S EDUCATION Invite COFIA founder as a Speaker Carolyn’s experience fighting to survive in extreme poverty are extraordinary, but it’s her brilliant and poignant storytelling that truly inspires. Carolyn captivates her audience as she delivers a powerful message about resilience, believing in yourself, overcoming adversity, and finding the courage to face life’s challenges. She guides her audience to be present, to dream big, and search for a deeper and more meaningful purpose in life. Carolyn leaves them with a lasting sense that anyone can rise and achieve against all odds.Whether you are a school, service group, small business, corporation, or a private club, Carolyn will tailor her message to fit the needs and interest of your audience. DONATE TODAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE Sitemap Home Programs US Programs Uganda Programs Our School About Why Uganda? Take Action Donate Volunteer Partner Sponsorship Contact Blog Follow Us Facebook Twitter Vimeo Instagram Donate DONATE Blog From Tacoma to Africa, with love November 11, 2015 A Huge Thank You To Russell Associates November 10, 2015 Ideas for Change — Leadership for Teens July 13, 2015 © 2021 COFIA. Website by Outmark