Meet Natalia Paredes, our Community Outreach Coordinator. Natalia plays a pivotal role as a bridge between

the communities we serve.

Her dynamic routine involves coordinating events, managing campaigns, building relationships, and connecting community partners to vital services. For Natalia, community outreach is an embodiment of her core values. Guided by a deep-rooted desire to help others, she finds fulfillment in breaking down barriers that hinder access to essential services.

We recently caught up with Natalia to highlight her as our T360H Healthcare Hero. Learn more about her story below. 

To kick things off, Natalia, could you share a bit about your background and what drew you to the field of community outreach?

I come from Waukegan, Illinois, and I graduated from Arrupe College of Loyola University in 2020 as a first generation in my family. Going into school and going into my career, I have been guided by helping others. I thought about becoming a nurse or a doctor because they help people, and that’s what I wanted to do, but after graduating and not having the qualifications to be either, I found myself at a loss. Eventually, I learned that life is not a linear path and that there are so many other ways that I can help others. Now, as an outreach coordinator at T360H, my work is guided by striving to improve the well-being of our communities, which requires helping and supporting one another. 

As the Community Outreach Coordinator at Tapestry 360 Health, you play a pivotal role. Can you walk us through a typical day in your shoes and highlight some key responsibilities that make your role unique?

As a community outreach coordinator, I serve as a liaison between the communities we serve and our health centers. Not every day is the same, which is one of the reasons I love my job. Some of the work I do includes attending and coordinating community events, working on our annual campaigns, such as the T360H Holiday Toy Drive, receiving and fulfilling appointment requests from community organizations, building and maintaining relationships in the community, connecting community partners to our services and our different department heads, and looking out for opportunities in which T360H can be out and involved in the communities we serve. For example, this year, T360H collaborated with the North River Commission in Albany Park. We held the annual Lot Jam at our AP location as well as a Social Services Networking event. [In partnership with the North River Commission] In Uptown, our MAT team at T360H  has been collaborating with the 46th ward and other local organizations to bring safety kits, hygiene kits, and winter kits to our houseless neighbors in Clarendon Park. I also engage in resource sharing internally and externally.

It’s clear that community outreach is more than just a job for you. What aspects of this work resonate most with your personal values and passions?

Helping people. I am guided by helping others, and a lot of the work I do involves trying to break down barriers so that people can access the services they need. It’s fulfilling when I go out into the community to share our different services, and I happen to meet people who have been searching for services like the ones T360H provides. Sharing knowledge is important! 

Tapestry 360 Health hosts various outreach events. Can you share a memorable experience from one of these events that really stands out to you? What made it special?

Recently, I attended a Back-to-School Event hosted at Touhy Park by the 49th Ward and 24th District P.D.; they had community organizations come and table resources while they gave out school supplies to students. I remember this event specifically because I got to meet quite a few T360H patients, and they told me about how great their providers at T360H are and how supported they felt by our organization. It’s nice to hear that people have had a positive experience at T360H. 

In your role, you get to connect with a diverse range of individuals. Can you share a specific moment or interaction that had a profound impact on you or someone you were assisting?

One time, I received a request from a community organization that we partner with. They were asking about setting up an appointment for one of their clients who had been experiencing debilitating migraines that were preventing her from acquiring employment. She did not have health insurance and, therefore, had not seen a doctor about her migraines in about 10 years. I was able to schedule an appointment for her to be seen that same week, thanks to our provider’s availability at our Devon clinic. I was so happy to hear that she was finally able to see a doctor!  

Community outreach can be both challenging and rewarding. What are some of the challenges you face, and conversely, what are the most rewarding aspects of your job?

Some challenges that I face, I would say, include running into barriers when trying to get specific projects done or when trying to connect someone to specific services. Conversely, relationship building is very rewarding, I love connecting with patients, community members, and our partners at community organizations. Being in the loop of things and being able to share and collaborate with the community is nice. 

Tapestry 360 Health has a unique mission. How does the organization’s mission align with your personal beliefs, and how do you incorporate it into your outreach initiatives?

As I briefly mentioned before, I am guided by helping others, and I feel like our mission allows me to incorporate that into our outreach initiatives. 

The field of community outreach is dynamic. How do you bring innovation to your role, ensuring that outreach strategies remain effective and relevant?

I would say given my cultural background and my upbringing, I am able to see things from the perspective of the receiver. Making meaningful connections and engaging in meaningful outreach is our goal. 

Beyond your professional role, do you have a personal connection or story that fuels your dedication to community outreach and the work Tapestry 360 Health is doing?

Health is very important, and in my culture, it is usually neglected. I think it’s important to invest in our health, and sometimes people need that reminder or sometimes they just need help being guided to the right place. Growing up my dad and I received our health care at an FQHC, and it was because we could afford the services off the sliding fee scale. Now, I want to share this resource with others who might be in the same situation that I was in at one point growing up. You never know who you may meet that could really benefit from finding Tapestry 360 Health. 

For those aspiring to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give them about entering the field of community outreach, and what skills do you think are essential for success?

I would say being a people person really helps in this field of work. Also, it’s important to be patient yet determined and to be willing to learn. Communication is a very important skill that is essential for success. Constant communication is happening, and it’s important to be clear, direct, and directive. It’s important to ask questions and to listen! I would say being organized is also a pro. 

Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of community outreach, and what role do you see organizations like Tapestry 360 Health playing in shaping that future?

Community outreach is essential in the work that we do. It’s important to show that we are here to serve and support our community. I feel that since COVID, we have been trying to pick up the pieces, and one of those pieces is the unity and connections that we had before the pandemic. It feels like this past year, community outreach has amped up at Tapestry 360 Health, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it continues to develop. It’s very important to keep our community engaged and up-to-date on what we are doing. 

As Natalia continues her impactful journey at Tapestry 360 Health, she exemplifies the unwavering spirit of community outreach, weaving a brighter and healthier future for all. Follow our social media channels to learn more about our community outreach events. 

Instagram – @Tapestry360Health

Facebook – @Tapestry360Health

Twitter (X) – @Tap360Health

TikTok –  @Tapestry360Health