VT Seva volunteered at local Round Rock Area Service Center with sorting of pantry items Homeless Pantry Sorting

On January 17th, VTSEVA Cary , in cooperation with JET Cary, hosted a day-long event celebrating the marriage of Godadevi and Ranganatha Swamy, Goda Ranganatha Kalyanam. We saw the participation of 32 youth volunteers and 15 adult volunteers, with our youth taking up the majority of the day-of activities while the adults carried the load with decoration and clean up. This year, hundreds of devotees gathered together to perform the marriage, view activities, and take prasaadam and panakam in honor of the lords. Volunteers like Crowd Management and Greeters helpfully guided our attendees to their designated locations, receiving praise and gratitude. Behind the scenes, our food & drink volunteers worked to provide for all our guests, performing with such efficiency that our food supply was in surplus by the end of the day’s events. Delivery was also carried out smoothly, with our ticket takers and box movers driving at a steady pace with the traffic of the hungry audience. Volunteering for such an event was truly an honor for all those involved. We thank our wonderful volunteers for the hours they put in, and we thank our audience members for attending and being a part of the 2026 Goda Ragnatha Kalyanam at the Hindu Society of North Carolina.

On January 17th, 2026, VT Seva Cary assisted the Durham Rescue Mission; a homeless shelter for men based in Durham. Our 5 youth volunteers and 1 adult volunteer performed their assigned tasks with dedication and compassion.. As helping the impoverished falls under the scope of VTSEVA, this event in particular was important as it was something that many of our members were passionate about. The gratitude on the peoples faces as we handed them their dishes, drinks and desserts was extremely evident. We thank our volunteers for coming out and partaking, and Durham Rescue Mission for our continued partnership and a chance to help change the lives of our world.

Youth Lead: Drithi Bathula Impact: Volunteers successfully defuzzed multiple boxes of sock loops, which were donated to Arts & Scraps. These sock loops will be used by Detroit school students in their many creative projects. Arts & Scraps is a nonprofit organization that supports local schools by providing essential materials—such as sock loops—to inspire creativity in classrooms. Each volunteer individually defuzzed the sock loops at home. After all 20 kits were assembled, the completed kits were handed over to Arts & Scraps team. We are sincerely grateful to Arts & Scraps for providing our volunteers with this meaningful opportunity to support the community and make a positive impact.

Youth lead: Arav Patel IMPACT: Our volunteers made 2,300 flowers to give to our servicemen and women. Forget-Me-Not National Day in the United States is observed on November 10 to honor veterans, especially those who were disabled in service. The forget-me-not flower is worn as a symbol of remembrance, gratitude, and support for those who sacrificed for the country. This year during this project, the youth who volunteered created flowers using sticks paper flower pieces, and then organized them into bundles of 20. Through the teamwork we were able to create 2,300 flowers! Youth: Arav Patel, Avni Patel, Swathi Aayushi Alluri Varun Aerabati, Drithi Bathula, Sahana sagayanathan, Aaryan Gajawada, Dhruva Vankayalapati, Dhanya Deepali, Sreya Namboodiri ,Dhruvi Shah ,Sri bhargava, Naginder Gogna, Aarav Holani, Devon Holani, and Neil gogna Through the teamwork, determination, and support the volunteers made an extraordinary impact of service, teamwork, and giving back to those who have served in our country!

The spirit of gratitude and abundance came alive at Parsippany High School as VT Seva North Jersey participated in TAMFest Pongal 2026. Pongal is a celebration of the harvest and giving thanks to nature—a theme that aligns perfectly with our mission of service and environmental respect. Our volunteers were the heart of the event, managing information booths and engaging with the vibrant local community. We were humbled by the opportunity to share VT Seva’s vision with hundreds of attendees, showcasing how we can all work together to empower the underprivileged while celebrating our shared cultural roots. The day was filled with the aroma of traditional foods, the rhythm of folk dances, and the tireless energy of our volunteers who ensured every guest felt welcomed and informed. Inspirational Highlights Cultural Connection: Our youth volunteers took great pride in representing VT Seva at a festival that honors their heritage, proving that "Seva" is a universal language that bridges generations. Community Awareness: By setting up an information desk, our team successfully reached out to new families in Parsippany, sparking interest in our upcoming volunteer opportunities and the "Mamatha 2026" project. Selfless Service: From setting up the venue to assisting with the traditional Pongal meal distribution, our team embodied the VT Seva motto of “Service to Humanity is Service to Divinity.” It sounds like the North Jersey team has been incredibly busy lately! The TAMFest Carnatic Festival (often referred to as CarnaticFest) is such a prestigious platform for classical arts, and having VT Seva volunteers there adds a layer of "Seva through Art."

✨Goda Kalyanam @ SV Temple✨ On January 13, VTSeva Cary had the honor of assisting SV Temple during their Goda Kalyanam celebrations. This marriage between our dear Andal-Alwar and our Lord Ragnatha is a highly auspicious event, reflecting loyalty, bravery, and following one's heart. As such, our 2 volunteers were dedicated and eager to serve throughout the event. They supported the temple by helping with the flow of management, food distribution, and other tasks given by the temple leaders. It was a meaningful opportunity for VTSeva to serve the community during such a special religious occasion!

Youth Seva – Compassion for Rescued Animals Srikar Tadepalli, along with his friends from the VT Seva Detroit–Kalamazoo youth group, collected 30+ towels and donated them to the SPCA of Southwest Michigan. Beyond the donation, these young volunteers spent quality time with rescued dogs—sharing love, warmth, and human connection that these animals truly cherish.

𝐕𝐓 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐚 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐲𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔. Through their service, students worked together to support families in need, demonstrating compassion, teamwork, and a strong commitment to giving back to the community. This experience reflected VT Seva’s mission of selfless service and made a positive impact on both the volunteers and those they served.

VT Seva Austin volunteers every second Saturday at RMHC providing 30 lunch bags to the families having patients at Dell children's hospital

A huge thank you to all the volunteers who made this year’s first Lunches with Love event at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) such a success! 🙏🏽 30 brown bags were packed and dropped at Dell's Children hospital. Special shout-out to our adult volunteers who jumped in early, kept the lunch packing going, and supported the team while our youth volunteers were arriving—your dedication truly made a difference. It was heartwarming to see VTSeva volunteers of all ages come together to serve families with love, compassion, and teamwork. 💕 We’re grateful for your time, energy, and spirit of service!

Shout-out to everyone who volunteered at the garden today! 🙌🏽 The morning was cooler, the energy was great, and the impact was meaningful. One of the highlights was seeing our youngest volunteer (9 years old!) learn about what the RR Service Center does and how VTSeva supports the center and the surrounding community. Moments like these truly reflect the spirit of service and learning we aim to foster. 💚 Overall, it was a successful and rewarding morning! 📅 Starting next month, garden volunteering will be back to the 1st Saturday of every month. We look forward to seeing even more volunteers join us next month as we continue serving together.

On January 10th, 2026, VTSeva Cary hosted an Adopt A Park event in Apex to help clean and maintain a local park. As part of the Adopt A Park Apex initiative—a community program that encourages volunteers to take responsibility for preserving public spaces—VTSeva Cary has adopted West Street Park and continues its ongoing service to keep the park clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. With the support of 10 youth volunteers and 2 adult volunteers, our team came together to care for one of the area’s well‑loved green spaces. Volunteers worked across the playground, basketball court, walking paths, and rest areas using trash grabbers, sweepers, and leaf blowers to collect litter and clear debris. Everyone stayed focused, worked as a team, and made sure to pick up even the smallest pieces of trash. It was a rewarding day of service that helped make the park cleaner and more inviting for the community. Thank you to all the volunteers who gave their time and energy to make a positive impact!

Temple Seva – IACCT Organization (Jan 10, 2026) Our dedicated volunteers cleaned the floors, sorted, labeled, and organized supplies in the IACCT Priest Room. This thoughtful effort will save valuable time during various rituals and festivals, and the service was warmly appreciated by the temple committee.

On Jan 6th 2026, 6 volunteers from Chicago branch volunteered their time at Community threads Thrift Store. It’s amazing to see how a few hours of work can make such a difference. By volunteering here, we’re helping the store stay efficient so they can continue their mission of giving back to local charities. Efforts today directly helps our neighbors!