Elgin Image Awards honor people, groups making a positive impact
Individuals, businesses and organizations that have made a positive impact in the community were honored Tuesday during the annual Elgin Image Awards at The Centre of Elgin’s Heritage Ballroom.
The awards, first given in 1992, are presented by the Enhancing Elgin Committee and organized by the Elgin Development Group and the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce.
Perla Sanchez was one of four winners in the Volunteer Extraordinaire category for her work with Chancez, a nonprofit that serves Elgin’s unhoused population.
“I am truly a believer that everything that you give, you get back 10 times more,” she said.
Sanchez was honored, in part, for leading the “Love Thy Neighbor” initiative, a community program that serves meals and bridges the gap between housed and unhoused neighbors.
“We’ve got to remember that it’s not just that we need to feed the people that need food,” she said. “It’s companionship, it’s love, it’s the atmosphere that we provide. And Elgin is great when it does that. I’m so grateful to be a part of this circle.”
The other 2026 winners include:
Creating a Difference
• The Early Learner Initiatives Team of School District U-46, which serves roughly 1,200 children each year through accessible, high-quality preschool programming. Led by Katie Cox, the program champions educational equity through bilingual instruction, early developmental screenings and caregiver support.
Excellence in DEI or Building Equity
• Jeanette Silva Haro, a firefighter who volunteers to mentor underrepresented youth, helps lead local fire service preapprenticeship programs, and co-founded the “Girls on Fire” initiative to introduce young women to careers in the fire service.
Youth Services Project
• YouthBuild Elgin, a group initiated and administered by the Housing Authority of Elgin. It empowers local youth (ages 16 to 24) to complete their high school education, acquire in-demand vocational skills, and transform their communities. This year, the group created custom raised garden beds for the residents of The Vines Senior Homes in Elgin.
Gamechanger Projects
• The Basics of Greater Elgin, a project of Enriching Partnerships for Early Learning. The new early childhood program was lauded as a transformative initiative that equips caregivers with five science-based practices to support child development during everyday routines. The program reaches families where they gather, including libraries, parks, healthcare offices, and through the free “Basics Insights” text-messaging program.
• Hispanic Heritage Project, a three-year collaborative effort of filmmaker Phil Broxham and the Elgin History Museum. The “Nuestras Historias” project is a documentary film and bilingual exhibit dedicated to preserving Elgin’s Hispanic community history through oral histories shaped directly by residents and original work by local Latino artists.
Professional Rockstars
• Michelle Esquivel, the executive director of Well Child Center. She has worked to expand and elevate community health services for Elgin families. Under her leadership, the center has grown beyond traditional WIC and pediatric dental care to introduce vital new programs.
• Christopher Flaherty, an environmental entrepreneur and two-term member of the Elgin Sustainability Commission. Flaherty founded Green Guerrilla, an award-winning, eco-friendly landscaping company that specializes in sustainable landscapes. Flaherty mentors youth through the Elgin Math and Science Academy, Friends of the Fox River and local scouting programs.
Volunteer Extraordinaire
• Donna and Brad Goplerud, recognized for rescuing large quantities of usable food from local businesses and redistributing it to PADS of Elgin, the Community Crisis Center, Lexington Motel residents, local soup kitchens and supportive housing programs.
• Adrian Hernandez, the organizer behind Elgin Community Bikes. He volunteers to plan and lead weekly and monthly community bike rides that showcase the city's beauty, drive tourism, and directly support local small businesses.
• The board of directors for Elgin Steelers Youth Football & Cheer, which provides safe, inclusive and affordable tackle football, flag football and cheerleading programs for children and families across Elgin. The board of 14 volunteers coordinates leagues, free summer camps and fundraising initiatives while providing mentorship, equipment and personal support to local youth.
rwest@dailyherald.com