Join VT Seva Detroit

We raised awareness about Childhood Cancer, since Childhood Cancer Awareness Day was earlier this month. We had more than 30 students come together to help assemble over 200 little, golden ribbon pins, which we then handed out to the student body the following day. It was rewarding to see so many people wearing the golden ribbons on Friday and it was especially heartwarming that so many people asked for them and wanted to proudly show their support for those suffering from cancer.

Impact Our dedicated volunteers split into two groups & worked together to pack boxes with Black beans, green beans, northern beans, Pears, pumpkins, oats, pistachios & Help Line cereals. Additionally, some volunteers assisted in another section, where they helped package 1,857 pounds of food, reaching families and individuals across Detroit. These efforts supported over 900 families in need.

Youth Lead: Dhruvi Shah Total number of volunteers: 19 Impact: Our team packed and sorted about 1,172 pounds of food, helping support families and individuals across Washtenaw County. Food Gatherers is the main food bank for Washtenaw County and does amazing work fighting hunger and reducing food waste in our community. We’re very grateful for the chance to volunteer and be part of their mission. Thank you to all the volunteers who showed up and worked hard—your time and effort truly made a difference. Volunteer List Youth: Dhruvi Shah, Shanya Kota, Avni Patel, Arav Patel, Sanjay Ramamoorthy, Varun Aerabati, Advithi Kothapalli, Kethana Vunyala, Akshara Datla, Kriti Makkena, Kushi Kanumuri Adults: Shilpa Shah, Lavanya Kothapalli, Praveen Kanumuri, Madhuri Vunyala, Vanitha Gopalan, Suresh Rajan, Jyoti Bodapati

We defuzzed 13 huge bags of sock loops. The sock loops were given to Arts and Scraps. The sock loops are distributed to Detroit and used in many art projects. A committed group of youth members and adults were able to put time into getting bags of the goods and sending them back when completed. A vital nonprofit organization that supports schools in the Detroit area by providing tools such as the sock loops to use in art projects.

WIHI VTS Club conducted Book Drive for Make It Take It program in the library. We collected 30 books for it.

On January 27th, members of the IAE VTS Club came together to create snowman craft kits for the Children’s Hospital, hoping to bring a little joy to young patients during their stay. Each kit included paper cutouts and glue sticks, allowing kids build their own snowman and enjoy a moment of fun. In total, 50 kits were made!

For this grocery bag drive *VTSEVA DETROIT Youth Board* collected about *1,600 clean plastic bags* to give to *Open Door Ministries*. They will be using these bags to package goods and other necessities for people in need.

Youth Lead: Varun Aerabati As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. beautifully said, “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” On January 19th (MLK Day), VT Seva Detroit proudly partnered with Destined for Greatness to support their major MLK Day community event, serving 200–300 underserved families in Detroit. During this impactful day of service, Destined for Greatness distributed essential items to families in need. VT Seva Detroit volunteers played an active role by sorting and organizing basic necessities such as shoes, toys, clothing, bedding, and more. In addition, our volunteers completed a large-scale cleanout of two floors of a pharmacy, helping prepare and organize critical resources for continued community support. This meaningful day truly reflected the spirit of MLK Day—coming together to uplift, serve, and strengthen our community.

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!

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.

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.

VT Seva Detroit–Kalamazoo group volunteers, along with the ACT Foundation, successfully coordinated and conducted a Holiday Food Drive, collecting over 188 pounds of food All donations were contributed to Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, supporting local families in need

The holiday season is all about spreading joy to everyone around you. However, not everyone experiences this spirit. By using our time and resources to raise money, we are able to help bring cheer to our community! On 12/17 and 12/19 VT Seva Detroit volunteers visited the Laurel Park Place Mall to ring bells for the Salvation Army. Singing Christmas carols and making small talk with passer-byers, we were able to bring in donations from mall visitors and bring Christmas cheer to not just the mall visitors, but also the less fortunate who gain so much from the contributions of the Salvation Army. Every year, we are so happy to end our year with this event. It brings smiles to so many faces and warmth to our hearts. We can't wait to have this opportunity again in 2026!

The holiday season is all about spreading joy to everyone around us. YB Volunteers did an excellent job in spreading the cheer and raising fund in Salvation Army Bell Ringing Event.