Lauren Patterson

Experience

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  Michigan House of Representatives

  May 2015 - Aug 2015

  Legislative Intern

  Aided office members in community constituent events, monitoring legislation and communicationResearched bills on environment, economic development, gun control, education Constituent liaison services, 20-40 emails a day, phone calls, referralsMaintained Representative Facebook account with several community and policy related events each day

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  Focus:HOPE

  May 2016 - Aug 2016

  Development and Outreach Intern

  Assisted in high profile grant requests with United Way for 5 million dollars for Focus: HOPE Neighborhood Network programming and several multi-million dollar Ford grant request for general operating. Solely composed letters of intent, proposal narratives, concept papers, grant request budgets, donor appeals. Conducted research on potential donors, strategic partners, markets and industries

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  Food Tank: The Food Think Tank

  Jan 2017 - Jun 2017

  Writing and Research Intern

  Worked closely with the Food Tank staff on the following: writing articles for major blogs, newspapers, websites, and magazinesConducting research and fact-checking; collecting, organizing, and managing web content; sorganizing resources and contacts; and assisting in writing and outreach that contributed to promoting ongoing projectsCreated biweekly original content on nutrition, health, policy and environmental issues alongside conducting interviews with notable food system leaders Show less

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  NorthWest Initiative

  May 2017 - Oct 2017

  Community Garden Liaison and Healthy Living Specialist

  Managed three community gardens, oversaw and addressed gardeners concerns, planned volunteers work days and events, collaborated with community to create two new gardens in low-income housing, completed regular garden maintenance: weeded, harvested, repaired beds, composted, while working with gardeners to create an open and welcoming communityCreated the four-day Cooking With Kids Camp for thirty children, executed and maintained a $500 budget for food and supplies, organized five speakers, two field trips and ten volunteers, designed nutrition, knife, and food safety lessons, ensured ServSafe protocolsTaught, designed, promoted and prepared four monthly nutritional cooking classes for at risk youth and elderlyPlayed a crucial role in the start up of a Mobile Farmer’s Market for low-income, food-desert neighborhoods as part of NorthWest Initiative’s efforts to decrease food insecurity, created outreach materials, logo, social media pages, formed relationships with farmers for market produce, coordinated with low income housing to create market stops Show less

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  WOB

  Feb 2018 - May 2020

  Program Manager and Grant Writer

  Coordinated 40 plus art and exercise classes, 15 artists and instructors, arranged transportation, created targeted curriculum, recruited volunteers, outreach to the community and program partnersImplemented effective grant strategy: researched opportunities, managed priorities, wrote all grants. Cultivated relationships with foundations and program staffIncreased annual budget by 25 percent from fundraising and grants, created our donor database, managed communications, campaigns, and general community outreachDeveloped a comprehensive organizational voice from grants to digital content across social media and website. Created print marketing materials including program flyer, annual report, and brochure Show less

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  Bill Wild For Congress

  Apr 2018 - Aug 2018

  Field and Outreach Canvasser

  Recruited more than 45 volunteers through social media, networking, and outreach events. Planned weekly community volunteer events, and trained effective volunteersRegularly attended community events and meetings, developed partnerships with groups and elected officials to bring awareness and support to the campaign and the candidateServed in a managerial role within a dynamic team, reported daily findings and goals to optimize campaign efficiency, adapted to rapidly changing and tense political landscapes in diverse communities Researched and developed strategies and messaging for media, policy, and voter contact on specific issues like education, healthcare, LGBTQ rights, criminal justice reform and immigrationKnocked on over 1,000 doors in the 13th Congressional district, made over 4,000 phone calls Show less

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  Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation

  Jul 2020 - Oct 2020

  Program Manager

  Managed a market of 10-15 vendors with over a 100 participants each week, ensuring customer and vendor safety Coordinated weekly communication with vendors, customers, community partners, volunteers. Created weekly flyer and distributed health and safety information through the market, social media, and text blastsOversaw financials such as weekly vendor fees, sales including EBT, and reimbursement. Managed quarterly reporting to our financial and governmental partners, ran point and sale machine for credit card and EBT transactionsRecruited vendors, volunteers, and community partners to the market Show less

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  United Way for Southeastern Michigan

  Dec 2021 - now

  Network Engagment Specialist