BY AUDREY KENT
FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA —
Ashlyn Perry has joined the United Way of Lee County as the new community impact coordinator. She will serve as both the 2-1-1 call center specialist and donor support specialist.
Originally from Newnan, Georgia, Perry is a 2020 graduate of the University of Georgia where she earned her Bachelor of Education in elementary education. After graduation, she worked for two years as a second grade teacher at Escambia County Schools in Pensacola, Florida. After moving to Auburn with her husband in June 2023, she began looking for an opportunity to use her gifts and talents.
“I wanted to have a job that allows me to make an impact in the community and truly make a difference,” Perry said. “This sounded like the perfect opportunity to do that.”
Perry will be the main call specialist for 2-1-1 in Lee County. She is tasked with determining the needs of all callers and providing them with necessary information and resources. She will also act as the main point of contact for Lee County EMA in case of a local disaster. In addition to her role with 2-1-1, Perry will also assume the responsibility of donor support where she will be responsible for inputting all United Ways donation pledges and accurately maintaining all customer relationship management software.
“I plan to get out into the community and spread the word out about what 2-1-1 is and what it can offer,” Perry said. “I want people to be able to clarify any misunderstandings they might have about this service and see how the United Way of Lee County and 2-1-1 work hand in hand.”
“We welcome Ashlyn with her passion for serving the community,” said Tipi Miller, executive director of the United Way of Lee County. “Ashlyn’s work with children and families in the education sector has prepared her to work with our clients to meet their social service needs. We believe she will thrive in this role and be able to help so many in Lee County.”
The United Way of Lee County is a nonprofit organization in Opelika, Alabama, whose mission is to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another by generating and applying the necessary resources to meet the needs of the community. It looks to improve and strengthen the community by focusing on and funding organizations and programs working in four key impact areas, areas it believes are the building blocks for a good life: education, health, crisis and families and communities.