Lauren Banister is MAZON’s Organizer. In this role, Lauren trains synagogue congregants and clergy and transforms them into effective advocates to advance the interests and dignity of those struggling with food insecurity. Lauren began working with MAZON as an intern while she was at the University of Vermont in 2018. She graduated with a B.S in Psychological Sciences and a Minor in Food Systems. While at UVM, Lauren founded Hillel Fresh, a free meal kit program that teaches students cooking skills and connects them to Jewish rituals. Prior to joining MAZON as the organizer, Lauren spent two years as an organizer and advocate for voting rights and improved public transportation with the Texas Public Interest Research Group.
MAZON is not just a Jewish response to hunger, it is the Jewish response to hunger — the collective voice of an age-old people who know how to change the world. Through MAZON, we express our particular passion for justice and our communal commitment to uplifting all people.