Service Spotlight: Alee Paine-Epperly

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Pictured is Alee facilitating a discussion with the Board of Directors on causes of poverty conditions using the “five whys” exercise and selection of prioritization criteria for the Community Assessment process.

Ms. Alexandra (Alee) Paine-Epperly is the VISTA Member, Volunteer in Service to America, provided by a grant through the Department of Social Services’ Office of Community Services. Alee enabled NRCA to capture data, provided the review of academic research to support findings, and worked integrally with NRCA’s staff and Board of Directors to create the 2017 Community Assessment.

Alee noted about her VISTA service year, “My AmeriCorps service was an extremely challenging, enlightening, and gratifying year of my life. As a recent “transplant” to the New River Valley, the opportunity to serve at NRCA has allowed me to be a part of a community with deep roots and established practices. I was given a clearer perspective into the struggles and cycles of poverty and how this is not “fast and easy” work, but it takes multi-generational effort and the support of many passionate people. And at New River Community Action, only passionate people work, live and play here. Thank you for the opportunity to serve!”

Ann Angert, NRCA’s Planning Director, shared that Alee came to NRCA with incredible software skills that helped us to develop training manuals, and created multiple program and agency surveys as well as visuals of who we served. Ann stated, “Alee doesn’t even complain about all the data entry! Seriously, Alee was a very successful VISTA member and will be able to take the skills she has learned at NRCA to future employment. We will be sorry to see her go but hope that our paths cross in the future.”