Mary Shaw

Trail Volunteer Fund

Mary Shaw, the Alan J. Perlis University Professor of Computer Science, Software and Societal Systems, and her husband, Roy Weil, turned their love of the outdoors into a force for conservation and community. In 2007, they created the Trail Volunteer Fund (contributor choice code: 9040783) of the Pittsburgh Foundation, backed by United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The fund helps maintain local biking trails and is designed specifically for small-scale projects, ranging from a hundred dollars up to a few thousand dollars. This strategic focus fills the funding gap between what trail organizations can afford using their limited operating budgets and the substantial major grants available from other sources.

"There's a hole in the middle," Shaw said. "There are state grants for big projects that take months of proposals, but if you need a few hundred or a few thousand dollars for tools or materials, there's nowhere to go. We dropped our idea right into that hole."

Shaw and Weil believe any worthy project with willing volunteers should not suffer for lack of materials. Since its founding, the fund has supported projects such as installing safety fencing and signage, building weather shelters and replacing a 40-year-old pickup truck used for trail maintenance.

"Volunteers are a valuable commodity," Weil said. "They need tools and materials for projects, so we provide funding via a streamlined process to make sure they have what they need to do the job."

For Shaw and Weil, the rewards are simple yet profound. "Seeing people moving along the trails," Shaw said. "These people make the trails. The people we meet are good people, passionate people. That's what keeps us going."

Fei Fang

412 Food Rescue

Associate Professor Fei Fang of the Software and Societal Systems Department is applying her expertise to support 412 Food Rescue (contributor choice code: 12835179). She's building AI tools — a truly CMU-style solution — to help deliver fresh food to those in need quickly and efficiently.

412 Food Rescue is a volunteer-based program that connects surplus food from retailers with nonprofit groups. Most of the donated food is transported by volunteers, who coordinate through a mobile app. In 2024, the organization received a United Way grant to upgrade its technology and equipment.

To better understand the process, Fang signed up as a volunteer. "I learned that it's much, much harder to do it than I initially thought," Fang said. "I didn't know where exactly to get the food or who to contact. I had to call the 412 Food Rescue platform multiple times for clearer instructions."

That experience inspired Fang to use technology to streamline the process. Fang and her students analyzed the system's data and proposed small but significant changes. After updating the app, pickup wait times dropped and claim rates improved. Fang's team also developed an AI-powered feedback analysis tool, which is now fully integrated into 412 Food Rescue's operations.

For Fang, the work is more than just a research project. "We sometimes say the work we're doing is a special type of volunteering," she said. "Of course, we do regular volunteer work, but we also hope this can help other volunteers feel supported and make sure good food doesn't go to waste."

Elizabeth Auld

HEAL Animal Rescue

Elizabeth Auld, business manager in the School of Computer Science, is an all-purpose volunteer at HEAL Animal Rescue (contributor choice code: 14172936), a no-kill adoption center in Westmoreland County that rehomes more than 200 animals each year.

"I do it all," she said. "I donate every month, walk the dogs, clean their kennels and even help administer medications."

A lifelong dog lover, Auld always wanted to help out at a shelter, but life — and three kids — kept her busy. In 2017, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma created an overcrowding crisis at animal shelters in the southern U.S. When HEAL took in 28 displaced dogs and put out an urgent call for volunteers, Auld stepped up.

"That's what kicked me into doing it," Auld said. "They needed help and I thought, 'OK, now's the time.'"

HEAL, located in Youngwood, provides food, shelter, rescue, rehabilitation and adoption support. On a typical day, the facility houses around 50 dogs, cats and occasionally a rabbit or two.

"A $20 donation provides food, shelter and a vaccination," she said. "Once we have an empty kennel, that means another dog from the streets can come in. That's a life saved. They survive on people's donations."

For Auld, the shelter isn't just about the animals — it's about the connection.

"It gives me an opportunity to give back," she said. "You walk in the door and they're so excited to see you. It's a great feeling. And when they finally are adopted, you're sad to see them go, but you know they're going to a good home. That's the best part."

Carole Panno

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

Associate Director of Development Carole Panno vividly remembers the television images during the COVID-19 crisis: cars lined up for miles as people waited for food donations.

"The pandemic is over, but the need for food assistance is greater than ever," said Panno, chair of Carnegie Mellon's annual Food Drive and a longtime supporter of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (contributor choice code 361).

The Food Drive, sponsored by Staff Council, has been a campus fixture for more than three decades. For Panno, its significance runs deeper than simply upholding a tradition.

"One of the pillars of CMU's priorities is supporting the community, and this is one of the most direct ways we can do that," Panno said.

The drive is a critical partner of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, which receives most of the drive's food and monetary donations. The Food Bank's mission to combat food insecurity across the region is also supported by United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The rising cost of food, housing, and health care continues to strain local families. To meet this need, the Food Bank distributed a record 47 million pounds of food in fiscal year 2025 — a 30% increase from just two years ago — to more than 300,000 individuals across the region.

Every dollar raised by the Food Drive can provide up to three nourishing meals to those in need. In 2025, the drive raised $125,130.

Panno has been involved with the Food Drive since the early 1990s. In the beginning, the operation used just a single pickup truck to gather donations. "Now, the magnitude of what we collect has really grown," Panno said.