VT Seva believes in the power of collective action to bring a positive impact in developing the community and bringing change to society. Throughout the year, our dedicated team and volunteers have been actively engaged in various volunteering events aimed at making a tangible difference in the lives of others. Volunteering is not just about giving back; it's about creating meaningful connections, driving positive change, and building stronger, more resilient communities. In the 4th quarter of 2023, our volunteers participated in remarkable initiatives from volunteering in food banks, attending health webinars, and raising funds to support underprivileged visually challenged students’ education in India.
In this blog, we're excited to share a recap of some of the remarkable volunteering initiatives we've undertaken.
Youth Board Projects
Outreach Project
Salvation Army Bell Ringing
Cancer Webinar
Detroit Projects
Motown Soup Kitchen
RAAS Promotions
Mercado Food Hub
Club activities:
Brilliant Detroit Christmas prep work
Annual Event:
RAAS
We were busy with multiple activities in the 4th quarter with a special annual event RAAS. Below are our event details from this 4th quarter of the 2023
Outreach Project:
"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 – 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧." - 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐫.
Our VT Seva Detroit Youth Board members have been participating in our 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 since 2020 to support underprivileged visually challenged students' education at 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚.
This year our youths 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 $𝟐𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎 and supported 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟔𝟖 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬' 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫.
Thanks to all the donors and parents who encouraged the youths.
"Those who stay will be champions" is the motto of Michigan's Football Team. All the youths who stayed in the Outreach program are our champions of education.
Wonderful team leads who participated in this outreach project:
Youth Volunteers:Oviya Jaisankar, Sai Sriram Karnati, Jishnu Kandalam, Varnika Jakka, Shruthi Adduri, Sathvik Tirumalakanduri, Ruthvi Ala, Anvika Perumalla, Shreya Shetty, Sneha Chandrasekar, Adhip Pisipati, Rakshan Samynathan, Kaustubh Dingari, Ridhi Manjunath, Swara Rege, Samhith E, Anirvin Ramanan, Rishi Chowdhury, Adithi Esrala, Nishant Sarma, Akshay Kumar, Abhi Mudeganti, Sreenika Perumalla, Kalki Renga Anand, Farhang Irani, Vahini M, Ishan Iyer, Mihita Lokesh, Sucheta Lokesh, Jayanth Batti, Vishnu Athreya & Swara Rege
Adult Volunteer: Priya Jaisankar
For more details: https://www.vtsworld.org/post/vt-seva-detroit-youth-board-outreach-2023
RAAS 2023 Promotions:
VT Seva Detroit RaaS 23 promotions were organized at India grocers, Vani grocers, and Bathukamma events from October 5th to October 27th. It was a great awareness as well as a promotional campaign for the VT Seva Detroit RaaS event.
With the help of Vani promotions, we raised money to support 2 students' education for a year. These are our volunteers who participated in these promotions.
Youth Volunteers: Abishristi; Shruthi; Hrudya; Shraya; Samhith; Aarti; Kavi; Sai Sahasra
Adult Volunteers: Durga Nalini, Vidya Anand, Sailaja, Pavani, Srinath Karnati, Suresh Rajan & Vanitha Gopalan
These are our volunteers who participated in these promotional campaigns at India Grocers and Bathukomma events.
Youth Volunteers: Sai Karnati, Hajanthan, Varshan
Adult Volunteers: Srinath, Sudheer, Shrivardhan, Komathy Muhinthan
Motown Soup Kitchen:
VT Seva Detroit volunteer’s 1st volunteering event at Motown Soup. Thank A Time to Help Say Detroit for collaborating with VT Seva in this wonderful opportunity at Motown Soup.
A volunteer-driven nonprofit, Motown Soup produces and sells products such as soup and dips to benefit nonprofits and community organizations that feed the homeless and hungry. Our volunteers did a fantastic job in packing more than 1000 soup and dry mixes and cleaning up the work areas. These products make a difference in the lives of the hungry and homeless throughout Michigan.
These are our volunteers who participated in this event.
Youth Volunteers:
Hajanthan Muhinthan, Varshan Muhinthan, Kirupali Sathyanathan, Jishnu Kandalam, Amogh Mavatoor, Rishabh Mavatoor
Adult Volunteers:
Sathyanathan, Muhinthan, Vijay Kandalam, Vanitha Gopalan
RAAS:
VT Seva Detroit celebrated their 8th annual event RAAS to recognize their volunteers’ efforts in making a difference in the community. Entertained the audience with dance performances, music, and other cultural activities. Many restaurants sponsored food for all the event attendees and volunteers. Volunteers who earned PVSA awards have been recognized on the stage. This event attracts a diverse audience and contributes to community building and cultural exchange.
Mercado Food Hub Volunteering:
VT Seva Detroit volunteered at Mercado Food Hub on Dec 2nd, 2023 is to alleviate hunger among the families and is guided by belief in the dignity of all people, compassion and respect for all, and with a collaborative spirit and a community focus.
11 VT Seva Detroit volunteers (Youth and Adults) volunteered at the Mercado Food Hub in Detroit Ford Resource and Engagement Center and packed and distributed 8500 pounds of food to 69 families.
It was indeed a fulfilling day to have helped 69 families with so many food supplies at Mercado. From the start to the end, our tireless volunteers were on the move, loading the carts with veggies, fruits, nuts, bread, milk, etc. We also organized milk cans, stacked the cartons, and cleaned the floor.
These are the volunteers who participated,
Youth Volunteers:
Abishristi, Shreyas, Shraya, Amogh, Jishnu, Rishi, Rishabh
Adult Volunteers: Suresh, Dharma, Vijay & Vanitha
Troy High & Troy IAE led BD Garage Ready for Christmas:
Troy High & Troy IAE had a successful event with Brilliant Detroit for their Christmas Giveaway Garage Cleanup in the McDougall Hunt Hub. Brilliant Detroit is dedicated to building kid-success families and neighborhoods where families with children 0-8 have what they need to be school-ready, healthy, and stable. With all the volunteers' help, we could clean and organize the garage and completely change the way it looks. Thank you to our adult volunteers who came last minute to support our event today.
Youth Volunteers: Anvika Perumalla, Sreenika Perumalla, Ritvik Jillellamudi, Nishant Sharma, Anuraag Balaji, Sneha Chandrasekar, and Mithesh Govindaraja
Adult Volunteers: Priya Jaisankar, Vijay Perumalla, Kannan Jaisnkar, and Srinivasaraju Chandrasekar
Salvation Army Bell Ringing:
𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗: 𝗢𝘃𝗶𝘆𝗮 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗮𝗿
𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗰 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗰 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯
Each year, The Salvation Army will serve more than 25 million people across America – including many here in your community. That means 55+ million meals for the hungry, 10+ million nights of shelter for the homeless, and countless Christmas gifts for children who may otherwise go without.
VTSEVA Detroit Youth Board participated in 2023 yet again to raise funds to help year-round impact in the community through social services assistance, homeless shelters, disaster relief, children’s programs, rehabilitation services, anti-human trafficking, and more.
Thanks to all the youth and adult volunteers for participating in this fundraiser.
Youth Volunteers Day 1: Oviya Jaisankar, Swara Rege, Rishi Harish, Shruthi Adduri, Sanjula Karunaraj
Adult Volunteers Day 1:
Komathy Muhinthan, Priya Jaisankar, Kavitha Karunaraj
Youth Volunteers Day 2:
Oviya Jaisankar, Hrudya Kishore, Sai Sri Ram Karnati, Kushi Kanumuri, Hajanthan, Varshan, Sriraam Hebbar
Adult Volunteers Day 2:
Srinath Babu Karnati, Komathy Muhinthan, Priya Jaisankar, Veena Hebbar
Facebook:
Instagram:
Cancer Awareness Session:
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for about 10 million deaths annually. Cancer is a scary and complex disease but when detected early, it can be cured. There are a lot of steps that can be taken to prevent cancer. To bring awareness about the group of diseases termed Cancer, and the preventative steps that can be taken, VTSEVA Detroit organized a talk with the acclaimed physician, Dr. Sri Yadlapalli, a VTSEVA Detroit youth board parent herself.
Dr. Sri Yadlapalli is an MD who is currently working as a Hematologist and Oncologist at Trinity Hospital in Oakland. Dr. Sri Yadlapalli completed her residency at WSU/DMC and fellowship at Ascension Providence.
Youths learned how to reduce cancer risk behaviors, the innovative developments in the field of cancer prevention, and simple lifestyle changes to reduce the chances.
Video created by Shreya Shetty (VT Seva Detroit Youth Board)
Blog written by Oviya Jaisankar (VT Seva Detroit Youth Board)
Blog published by Nandini Cheemalamarri (VT Seva Detroit Communications)