On February 22nd, 2026, VT Seva Cary volunteers assisted the Asha Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting children with developmental disabilities by creating a welcoming environment for learning and social connection. Our 6 youth volunteers participated in the Best Buddies program by spending time with the children through games and interactive activities that encouraged engagement and friendship. Volunteers also helped children with physical disabilities by assisting with movement and ensuring they could comfortably participate in the activities. Although it took some time for everyone to warm up, the volunteers and children soon began interacting and enjoying the experience together. The event created a fun and supportive environment for the children while allowing volunteers to form meaningful connections and positively impact the community.

On February 21st, 2026, VT Seva Cary volunteers assisted with the Saturday Temple Service at the Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina. 4 youth volunteers supported the temple during two service shifts from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM by helping with food preparation and distribution for devotees. During the event, volunteers worked alongside temple staff to pack prasadam items such as idli, pongal, yogurt rice, and chutney. They also assisted with preparing trays of rice that would later be used for additional dishes. At one point, the food distribution process was running behind, and the volunteers helped speed up the assembly line by efficiently packing and organizing the meals. Their efforts helped ensure that visitors received their food more quickly and that the service continued to run smoothly. Through their teamwork and willingness to take initiative, the volunteers helped prepare and pack dozens of food items for devotees, including approximately 50 boxes of idli, 75 boxes of pongal, 75 boxes of yogurt rice, and 50 cups of chutney. Their dedication helped support the temple’s food service operations and contributed to creating an organized and welcoming environment for the community members attending the service.

On February 15th, 2026, VT Seva Cary volunteers assisted at the SV Temple during one of its busiest events. Our 7 youth volunteers helped manage the flow of attendees by organizing and controlling lines with the help of other volunteers. During the event, they also worked on arranging indoor seating and ensured that elderly individuals and young children were given seats at the front. Toward the end of the event, volunteers assisted in transporting milk and fruits for the evening Abhishekam, helping organize and move more than 50 gallons of milk. In addition, the team helped collect over $200 in donations for the temple. Through their teamwork and dedication, our volunteers helped the event run smoothly while supporting the temple and the community.

Durham Rescue Mission @ Womens Campus On February 15th, 2026, VT Seva Cary volunteers assisted at the Durham Rescue Mission Women’s Campus, a homeless shelter that provides food, housing, and supportive services for individuals and families in need. Our 9 youth volunteers and 1 adult volunteer helped serve meals by working at drink, dessert, and food stations, ensuring that everyone was served efficiently and with care. After the meal service, volunteers supported the staff by washing dishes, mopping the floors, and stacking chairs to help clean and organize the space. In total, our team helped serve meals to approximately 80 individuals, making the experience a meaningful opportunity for volunteers to directly support the community while working together to ensure the event ran smoothly. We thank our volunteers for their dedication and Durham Rescue Mission for allowing us to continue serving those in need.

Durham Rescue Mission @ Mens Campus On February 14th, 2026, VT Seva Cary assisted the Durham Rescue Mission: Men’s Campus, a homeless shelter based in Durham. Our 7 youth volunteers and 1 adult volunteer supported the shelter by stepping into various roles where help was needed, including serving meals, drinks, and desserts to those at the facility. Throughout the event, volunteers worked together to ensure everything ran smoothly while showing kindness and respect to those they served. In addition to helping with meal service, our volunteers also created a short video reflecting on their experience with VT Seva and the impact of serving the community, highlighting their dedication to helping those in need and spreading awareness about the importance of service. We thank our volunteers for their commitment and Durham Rescue Mission for the opportunity to continue supporting the community.

On February 14th, 2026, VT Seva Cary assisted the Radha Krishna Temple by helping organize a clay idol-making activity for children. Our 4 youth volunteers guided participants through the process while also sharing the cultural and spiritual significance of Shivalingam's and the importance of staying connected to one’s heritage. The volunteers assisted and supported the children and helped manage the event. Their dedication and teamwork were so effective that the temple organizers found themselves with very little to worry about during the activity. We thank our volunteers for their enthusiasm and the Radha Krishna Temple for giving us the opportunity to help educate and engage young members of our community.

Valentines Day Bracelet Making On February 13th, 2026, VT Seva Cary partnered with the Durham Rescue Mission to host a Valentine’s Day Bracelet Making activity, engaging 56 youth volunteers over the course of two weeks to create handmade bracelets for members of the local homeless community. Through their creativity and teamwork, volunteers crafted a total of 235 bracelets, which were delivered to the Durham Rescue Mission Men’s Campus to help spread joy and kindness on Valentine’s Day. This activity showcased the dedication and collaboration of our volunteers, who worked together across multiple sessions to make the project a success. By contributing their time and effort, our volunteers helped further VT Seva Cary’s mission of supporting and uplifting the community through meaningful acts of service.

Durham Rescue Mission @ Womens Campus On February 8th, 2026, VT Seva Cary assisted the Durham Rescue Mission: Women’s Campus, a homeless shelter for women based in Durham. Our 10 youth volunteers and 2 adult volunteers helped ensure the event ran smoothly by checking in participants, sorting food items, and neatly organizing shelves and supplies. They also assisted with closing duties by mopping and sweeping, leaving the space clean and organized for continued service. Supporting those in need is central to VT Seva’s mission, and our volunteers felt proud knowing their efforts helped create a more welcoming and efficient environment for the community. We thank our volunteers for their dedication and Durham Rescue Mission for the opportunity to continue making a positive impact.

Best Buddies @ Asha Foundation On February 8th, 2026, VT Seva Cary assisted the Asha Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting children with developmental disabilities by creating a caring and engaging environment for learning and social connection. Our 4 youth volunteers participated in the weekly Best Buddies program, where each child is paired one-on-one with a volunteer to build friendships and take part in fun, interactive activities. During the visit, volunteers played games such as Uno and matching with the children, helping them develop important skills while forming meaningful connections. The experience was incredibly rewarding for everyone involved, and we are grateful to the Asha Foundation for providing us with another opportunity to support and bring smiles to the children in our community.

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.

✨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!

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!

✨ VT Seva Cary – Saturday Temple Service at SV Temple NC ✨ On January 3rd and January 23rd, 2026, VT Seva Cary held its weekly Temple Service at the Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina. Four dedicated youth volunteers supported the temple by distributing, serving, and organizing prasadam for devotees at the main temple. In addition to helping with prasadam, volunteers assisted with tasks requested by the temple, including washing and folding clothes. They also made an effort to greet visitors warmly and remained focused and responsible throughout their assigned time slots. Their dedication and positive attitude helped create a welcoming and organized environment for everyone visiting the temple.

On January 1st, 2026, 11 youth volunteers from VT Seva Cary had the wonderful opportunity to assist at the Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina. Volunteering at the temple was a meaningful way to begin the new year, and our team truly enjoyed the experience. We observed the temple’s youth volunteers working with great dedication and respect. They followed the guidance of the adult coordinators and helped with a variety of tasks—handing out prasadam, replenishing supplies, and assisting with laddoo and boondi distribution. Their attentiveness and discipline were inspiring to see. Overall, it was a fulfilling day of service, community connection, and shared devotion. Looking forward to many more opportunities to serve together