Client Story Capture + Utilization
Owned and earned media strategy and narrative framework development
Partner and client engagement, story writing, media relations
Project management (art direction, vendor coordination, approvals, asset management)
The Opportunity
End-of-Year is a critical giving season for nonprofit organizations, particularly those working to address and end hunger. And because real, authentic stories best describe the work and the impact, they also compel the most engagement and support. But real stories can be difficult to identify and bring to life for an array of reasons, notably the stigma that can be associated with seeking food help. The commodification of real stories also compounds the difficulty and delicacy of storytelling. But when a proactive pitch toe CBS National News netted interest and plans for a producer and anchor visit, I got to work!
Cue my outreach to The Open Door Pantry, a Dakota County food shelf serving 4,000 individuals monthly and a partner of Second Harvest Heartland. With thoughtful consideration by The Open Door’s food program coordinator, Bridget Littlefield was referred to me as a potential storyteller. After some texts and phone calls, Bridget and I connected and I carefully explained what we meant by storytelling, how we could capture her story and photos, what we might do with it, and above all else, that she was in control of her story, what she was comfortable sharing, and how and where it might be shared.
The Result
Bridget was generous with her story, passionate about sharing it in the hopes it would help other families reach out for food help if they needed it. As she shared during one of our many conversations, she experienced firsthand the negative effects of not seeking food help, making her eager to use a platform to break down those barriers.
After our first conversation in November 2021, Bridget and I worked together and with vendors to share her story in several compelling ways, including:
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CBS National News (December 2021)
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Star Tribune interview (February 2022)
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Let’s Kick Hunger Day live phone interview (February 2022)
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Second Harvest Heartland Annual Report (March 2022)
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Feature video for Dish Gala (October 2022) (below)
