The Wake County Alumni Network, within the greater Triangle Alumni Network, connects over 75,000 alumni in the local Raleigh area, making it the largest pack of NC State alumni in the country. With April being National Volunteer Month, the Wake County wolves are hosting a community service activity each weekend in April. Janice Sitzes, one of the network volunteers who joined in April 2024, came up with an idea.

“There are many food collection drives on campus to just help stock the shelves; however, I don’t think many people realize that the Feed the Pack Pantry also provides necessary items like baby supplies,” Sitzes said, “Because of this, I suggested a baby showers event, having having never noticed any drives directly advertising these items. Also, it was a natural fit with the old saying ‘April showers bring May flowers.’”

Sitzes volunteered to coordinate the event, which will feature a drop-off at Park Alumni Center on Saturday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To maximize their reach beyond the alumni network, they are also partnering with NC State Staff Senate’s Community Service and Engagement Committee, where Sitzes also volunteers. 

“This boots-on-the-ground approach transformed the drive into a campus wide movement, incorporating both hyper-local access and strategic communication.” Sitzes shared, “Staff senators from the committee signed up to place collection bins in their respective colleges across campus, removing the barrier to entry for other donors.”

At the end of the donation collection period the donation bins will be delivered to NC State Wellness and Recreation, where Sitzes will pick them up and add their contents to the items donated at the Park Alumni Center for delivery to Feed the Pack Pantry.

Infant supplies, like feminine hygiene products, are considered to be “invisible essentials” which are basic needs that are often inaccessible because they are both expensive and non-substitutable. Inflation alone has caused the cost of things like baby food and formula to rise. 

“Everyone is feeling the impact of rising costs, and these stresses are amplified for people who are already struggling to make ends meet. Baby formula, wet wipes and diapers are items all parents need, but few think to donate.” Sitzes emphasized, “Providing these items ensures that parents do not have to make desperate choices, such as between paying rent and keeping their baby clean and fed.”

According to multiple sources, including the National Diaper Bank Network and NC State’s Center for Family and Community Engagement, 25% to 50% of families in America are currently struggling with rising childcare costs.

Giving Back Across the Country

Across the country, NC State alumni networks are working diligently on their own giving efforts to celebrate National Volunteer Month. There’s still time to sign up to give back through volunteering. Participating alumni networks include Wake County, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Washington DC and the Black Alumni Society.

The Pittsburgh Alumni Network is focused on a non-profit organization called Dress for Success, a leading resource for helping women advance in the workplace, by providing them with professional attire and career development tools.

Julie Murphy, a Dress for Success board member and Pittsburgh Alumni Network Leader, shared, “Our alumni will be helping sort clothing donations, organizing inventory and stocking shelves to support the organization’s daily operations. We are also hosting an accessory and personal care donation drive where alumni will collect gently used accessories along with brand-new personal care items.”

The Dallas/Fort Worth Alumni Network is once again partnering with Dallas LIFE, a non-profit homeless shelter and recovery center, to serve warm meals, provide a safe place to sleep and educational programs to help individuals work toward self-sufficiency. 

Courtney Nesline, a Regional Network Leader for DFW, said, “Since first volunteering with Dallas LIFE in April 2025, our group has supported this organization multiple times. This event is a great opportunity to connect with fellow Wolfpack alumni while serving together, and I especially enjoy seeing new and familiar faces come out to support such a meaningful cause.” 

Giving is a win-win situation for everyone involved, according to Sitzes. “In a world often focused on recognition, I believe the purest form of giving is anonymous. So while we don’t always see the individual impact of our benevolence, we do see it through the strength of our collective effort. When you see a collection bin overflowing or hear testimonials from a beneficiary, it’s a reminder that by easing someone else’s burden, we often lighten our own.”

“By easing someone else’s burden, we often lighten our own.”