Silvana Urbina Turns Dreams into Reality

It is almost noon. Silvana Urbina takes a break from her busy morning. She has already prepped and cooked for 250 school lunches, assigned drop-offs to her drivers, signed a food bill and sliced over a dozen cucumbers. As Coordinator of Institutional Food Services at Amos House’s More Than a Meal catering business, she’s advancing her career and family, and achieving life-long dreams.

“I love my job and I love working under pressure,” said Silvana, 36, a native of Peru. “It’s challenging.”

She has always enjoyed cooking, starting at age 8, and dreamed of working in a food business. But her dreams and self-confidence fizzled in the midst of an abusive relationship. Believing that she was worthless, Silvana said that she made poor choices. But with help from Amos House, she began to dream again.

The single mother of three boys enrolled in the Amos Culinary Education program and graduated in April 2009. The following month, she was hired by More Than a Meal to work at its downtown Providence kiosk. That led to other jobs within our food business where she gained experience in catering, serving, delivery, and event services.

“To get to where I am right now, I worked my butt off,” Silvana explained. “If they asked me to do catering, I did catering. If they asked me to drive, I drove. Whatever they asked me to do, I did it.”

Her consistency and hard work paid off. In January, she was promoted to her position at More Than a Meal’s
institutional division which serves six private and charter schools, an after school program, and several summer camps. What drives her? Silvana said that her sons – ages 8, 11 and 17 – are the wind beneath her wings.

“I feel great, especially when my oldest kid looks at me and says, ‘Mom, I’m so proud of you.’”

Amos House is also proud of Silvana, not only for her strong work ethic, but for encouraging others around her. “If you don’t believe in yourself, take a good look in the mirror and say what you want. Then go for it,” she said. “Don’t do it tomorrow because tomorrow may not come. Do it today!”