Our donor spotlight is on Erin Perry, Chief Strategy Officer with DAYTA Marketing in St. Cloud and Anna Marie’s Alliance Peacekeeper.
Erin Perry loves St. Cloud, and we do mean love. A native Californian, Erin first came to St. Cloud to attend college at SCSU. She stayed because of the sense of community she discovered here.
Ever impressed by the support that local businesses provide to area nonprofits, Erin was inspired to get involved in charitable endeavors early in her career.
Through conversations with her colleagues and supervisors at DAYTA Marketing, Erin learned quickly how business owners link their support of local nonprofits to the creation of a cohesive, healthy “community”.
The words of her employers and coworkers resonated, and Erin quickly developed a passion for building community through the donation of her time and money.
“[The business sector leaders] recognized that good things come from the local level, and that you have to support your community in order to have a thriving business with happy employees and customers,” Erin says. “I get involved because I want to be a part of that growth, and because my professional skills in marketing and digital are generally something non-profits are looking for help with.”
Erin’s flair for innovation, along with her passion for community, are the things that drive her desire to get involved. And her in-demand skills and talent in the marketing and graphic design world often make her a huge asset to those organizations.
Erin Meets Anna Marie’s Alliance. Sparks fly.
Erin was introduced to Anna Marie’s when our Board member, Sonja Gidlow, invited her to attend our annual breakfast a few years ago. There, Erin found something a little different from the typical nonprofit fundraiser.
“[Most] charity events I’d been to seemed tailored to people who were at a different stage in their career; who could write large checks, right then and there,” Erin says. “I was new in my career, didn’t even carry a checkbook, but the stories I heard at the breakfast convinced me to get involved. When you realize the local need, you realize there’s no good excuse not to support it.”
Erin became a Peacekeeper – one of Anna Marie’s monthly donors whose recurring gifts help ensure that we can continue to do the work we do every day.
Erin’s belief in the importance of Anna Marie’s mission, along with her faith in our organization’s ability to use the generous donations we receive to advance that mission, inspire her to advocate for our agency – and to help build even more support.
“I’d like to help to increase the funding base, whether that’s through corporate sponsorships or through increased awareness among millennials and gen-zers,” Erin says.
Tangible results, exemplary stewardship of donated funds, and a well established organizational structure are the reasons for Erin’s confidence in Anna Marie’s Alliance.
“When a nonprofit has a solid financial foundation, great staff, an involved board, and enthusiastic volunteers, it can make a huge difference in countless lives,” Erin says. “Any time our community can be a beacon for doing things right, we should be.”
Erin’s love for St. Cloud is boundless – and it shows.
When asked what she would tell someone considering what they can do to support the nonprofit community, Erin’s response is simple: “Give!” she says. “That’s the first and easiest way, and money is the most flexible resource a nonprofit can have. After that, talk to the organization and figure out where they could use your talents. It doesn’t need to be the same talents you use in your day job, either; non-profit volunteering can be a way to stretch some of your lesser-used professional muscles and practice skills you don’t get to always use.”
In addition to being a champion and Peacekeeper for Anna Marie’s, Erin’s community involvement currently includes a role as co-organizer for TEDxStCloud (coming to the Paramount this October 14th) and the marketing board member for the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation. Both causes help contribute to a thriving, diverse community.
Erin Perry
Chief Strategy Officer, DAYTA Marketing
Erin Perry, Chief Strategy Officer at DAYTA Marketing, loves St. Cloud, and we do mean love. A native Californian, Erin came to our area to attend college at SCSU. She stayed because of the sense of community.