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California is one of the first states to be affected with COVID-19 pandemic. California government and local non-profit organizations are working together to ensure the help is provided irrespective of their immigration status. Doctors, healthcare professionals and other front-line workers are at high risk as they are treating the COVID-19 patients while self-quarantining themselves to keep their own families safe. To help provide necessary PPE. VT Seva Bay Area is donating $ 1000 Covid-19 towards PPE to Kaiser Permanente and Valley Medical hospitals. VT Seva Bay Area team is donating $ 1,000 to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley Food Bank (SHFB) to help provide 3000 meals. SHFB provides free meals to kids and families who are on the brink of poverty especially now since they are disproportionately impacted. VT Seva Bay Area has been volunteering with them the past 6 years sorting hundreds of pounds of food to get it ready for the families in need. Their mission of "lead our community to ensure that anyone who needs a healthy meal can get one” resonates with the volunteering spirit of our Team. We thank you for your continued support and together we hope to bring more help to the most vulnerable members of the community. The campaign continues as the relief efforts are under way and the need is only increasing by the day.

Today PayPal gave grants to VT Seva to procure Digital Colposcopes to aid Cancer Screen Camps in India and Nepal. #a2018 #recognition

VT Seva Austin had created an exhilarating summer camp to learn about crochet and birdhouses. It was a 5-day camp that Gwen, Pranavi, and Shreya led. Gwen taught us all about the wonders and creativity that revolve around crochet. Several of the students were able to create amazing scarfs and it was an inclusive experience for all. Along with that, Pranavi, and Shreya led the birdhouse and birdfeeders activity. So many students made beautiful birdhouses and birdfeeders. In Austin, we had scorching temperatures over 105 degrees Fahrenheit, so we knew that we had to help the birds and the rest of the wildlife community. In commemorations of flag day, we made letters for the frontline heroes that serve to protect and improve our community. They truly are exceptional and hard-working people, so a thank-you letter can go a long way. Finally, to end our session, we wrote letters for Father's Day to express our gratitude for their contributions to our lives.

Come join us on July 23 2023, 11 am at ICC Milpitas with His Holiness Shri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji to learn about VEDIC techniques for stress management. Interact with youth, adult volunteers and representatives of benefitting organizations. Agenda: - Cultural Program - Recognize beneficiary organizations - Learn Vedic techniques for Stress Management by His Holiness Shri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji - Learn about Service (Volunteerism), Spirituality (sense of purpose and hope), and Society (impact on society and world at large) - Q&A session - Youth volunteering and VT Seva Bayarea / how you can be part of local branch Date: JULY 23, 2023 TIME: 11AM-2PM Location: Indian Community Center (ICC) - Milpitas (525 Los Coches St, Milpitas, CA 95035) Cost: FREE Seating is limited. Please register below. Once all seats are booked, registration will be closed.

Our CEO and Founder, His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji ’s vision is to empower impoverished communities across the world with equal access and opportunities to quality education, healthcare, and self-confidence to live a life filled with dignity and pride. His goal was to inspire in children a passion for public service and equip them with the skills to develop and lead philanthropic projects. With this vision, Swami ji established a global non-profit service oriented organization called VT Seva in 2008. Swami ji has spearheaded many programs for the welfare of society including Free Medical Camps, Animal Welfare, Disaster Relief Activities, Free Educational Services and many more. Swami ji is visiting the USA from July 2 – August 14, 2023! In centers across the USA, there are many events planned with Interactive Sessions with our Youth . Youth are the future who can garner wisdom from a great social reformer & visionary who spent decades of his life in service of our society. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet Swami ji who was also honored with 𝐏𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧 Award this year. The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India. The award was conferred on April 5th, 2023 at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan in the national capital - New Delhi in honor of his services to the nation for more than four decades. Please reach out to your branch director to get more details about the events planned in your city. City Arriving Date Departure Date From UK to USA Sunday, July 2, 2023 Sunday, July 2, 2023 ​New Jersey Sunday, July 2, 2023 Thursday, July 6, 2023 Connecticut Thursday, July 6, 2023 Friday, July 7, 2023 Boston Friday, July 7, 2023 ​Sunday, July 9, 2023 Rock Island, IL Sunday, July 9, 2023 Sunday, July 9, 2023 Chicago ​Sunday, July 9, 2023 Wednesday, July 12, 2023 ​Minneapolis Tuesday, July 11, Monday Tuesday, July 11, 2023 Nebraska ​Wednesday, July 12, 2023 ​Wednesday, July 12, 2023 Detroit, MI ​Wednesday, July 12, 2023 ​Friday, July 14, 2023 Pittsburgh Friday, July 14, 2023 Sunday, July 16, 2023 Washington DC/Virginia ​Sunday, July 16, 2023 Monday, July 17, 2023 Cary North Carolina Monday, July 17, 2023 Monday, July 17, 2023 Charlotte/Concord, North Carolina ​Monday, July 17, 2023 ​Tuesday, July 18, 2023 South Carolina Tuesday, July 18, 2023 Wednesday, July 19, 2023 ​​Atlanta Wednesday, July 19, 2023 ​Thursday, July 20, 2023 ​Orlando Thursday, July 20, 2023 Friday, July 21, 2023 California ​Friday, July 21, 2023 ​Tuesday, July 25, 2023 Seattle Tuesday, July 25, 2023 Monday, July 31, 2023 Houston -Woodlands Monday, July 31, 2023 Tuesday, August 1, 2023 ​Houston ALT Temple Tuesday, August 1, 2023 Sunday, August 6, 2023 Bentonville AK Wednesday, August 2, 2023 ​Wednesday, August 2, 2023 San Antonio ​Sunday, August 6, 2023 Monday, August 7, 2023 Austin Monday, August 7, 2023 Thursday, August 10, 2023 ​Dallas ​Thursday, August 10, 2023 ​Monday, August 14, 2023 * Schedule might change City Arriving Date Departure DateFrom UK to USA Sunday, July 2, 2023 Sunday, July 2, 2023New Jersey Sunday, July 2, 2023 Thursday, July 6, 2023Connecticut Thursday, July 6, 2023 Friday, July 7, 2023​Boston Friday, July 7, 2023 Sunday, July 9, 2023Rock Island, IL Sunday, July 9, 2023 Sunday, July 9, 2023Chicago Sunday, July 9, 2023 Wednesday, July 12, 2023Minneapolis Tuesday, July 11, Monday Tuesday, July 11, 2023Nebraska Wednesday, July 12, 2023 ​Wednesday, July 12, 2023Detroit, MI ​Wednesday, July 12, 2023 ​Friday, July 14, 2023Pittsburgh Friday, July 14, 2023 Sunday, July 16, 2023Washington DC/Virginia Sunday, July 16, 2023 Monday, July 17, 2023Cary North Carolina Monday, July 17, 2023 Monday, July 17, 2023 Charlotte/concord, North Carolina Monday, July 17, 2023 Tuesday, July 18, 2023South Carolina Tuesday, July 18, 2023 Wednesday, July 19, 2023 ​Atlanta Wednesday, July 19, 2023 Thursday, July 20, 2023Orlando Thursday, July 20, 2023 Friday, July 21, 2023California Friday, July 21, 2023 Tuesday, July 25, 2023Seattle Tuesday, July 25, 2023 Monday, July 31, 2023Houston -Woodlands Monday, July 31, 2023 Tuesday, August 1, 2023Houston ALT Temple Tuesday, August 1, 2023 Sunday, August 6, 2023Bentonville AK Wednesday, August 2, 2023 Wednesday, August 2, 2023 San Antonio Sunday, August 6, 2023 Monday, August 7, 2023Austin Monday, August 7, 2023 Thursday, August 10, 2023Dallas Thursday, August 10, 2023 Monday, August 14, 2023 * Schedule might change

On the occasion of Children’s Day November 14th in India , LV Prasad Eye Hospital conducted a Braille reading and Braille Writing Competition for Visually Challenged students. VT Seva Supported Nethravidyalaya (School for Visually Challenged) children bagged the following prizes: Winners : Braille Writing – 1. Bangari Naidu -10th Grade 2. Kamala -9th Grade 3. Anil – 9th Grade Braille Reading – 1. Eswara Rao – 10th Grade 2. Bangari Naidu – 10th Grade 3. Kamala – 9th Grade Congratulations to all these students and Thanks VT Seva Volunteers and Donors for continuous support for enabling us such accomplishments. Learn more - https://www.vtsworld.org/school-for-blind Want to join in supporting the Schools for Visually Challenged?

3 students from Nethra Vidyalaya part of India's first International women's cricket team for visually challenged The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) has announced the selection of India’s first-ever women’s cricket team for the blind, which will represent the country in the upcoming Bilateral Series against Nepal. The selection was made based on the players’ performances in the recently concluded selection trials held in Bhopal. The Bilateral tour is scheduled to take place in Nepal from April 25 to April 30. Sandhya, Satyavati & Ravanni are the 3 players representing Nethra Vidyalaya in India's first women's cricket team for visually challenged ! Congratulations to all of them! The Team A match is played between two teams of 11 players comprising a minimum of four B1 players, a minimum of two B2 players, and a maximum of 5 B3 players. The Sight Categories B1: No light perception in either eye up to or including light Perception but inability to recognise the shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction. B2: From ability to recognise the shape of a hand up to and including Visual Acuity of 2/60 and/or Visual Field of 5 Degrees or less. B3: From Visual Acuity above 2/60 up to and including Visual Acuity of 6/60 and/or a Visual Field of more than 5 degrees up to and including 20 degrees. The composition of the team throughout the match will be as per the ratio of the three categories mentioned above. The officials closely monitored the players’ performances, including Selection Committee Chairman E John David during the selection trials. The 17-member squad selected from the trials will go down in history as the first-ever Indian team to compete in the T20 Bilateral Series for the Blind. The 17-member squad will participate in an intensive national cricket coaching camp at Sarda Sportscube Foundation in Gurugram from April 17, 2023, to April 22, 2023. On April 23, 2023, the Indian team, along with officials, will depart from Delhi to Nepal to compete in 5 T20 matches in Pokhara and Kathmandu. Following the success of Cricket for Visually Impaired Men in the last decade, the T-20 National Trophy for Visually Impaired Women was introduced in 2019, with 150 women from seven different states participating.

This April, VT Seva Dallas has been committed to volunteering in honor of Mother Earth! This included activities such as: Keep Texas Beautiful Trash off As part of the Great American Cleanup volunteers joined the city of irving to clean up the streets in Trinity View Park. In conjunction with other volunteers from Irving 1,230 pounds of trash and 1,140 pounds of recyclables were removed from the city. Problems with Plastic Youth Virtual Workshop On April 8th VT Seva conducted the "Problems with Plastic" virtual workshop with the City of Plano. The virtual workshop provided an interactive education to middle and highschoolers on how to help the environment. The participants were taught the '3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and recycle, and how to minimize usage of our favorite plastic items to help make a positive impact on the environment. Earth Day VT Seva celebrated Earth day with the City of Frisco as part of the "Clean it and Green it" program, a city wide cleanup. On a beautiful Saturday morning VT Seva Dallas had 70+ adult and youth volunteers come out to celebrate Earth Day and participate in multiple activities. The celebration started with an Earth prayer by Mr. Vinayak, the adult lead for all environmental related projects in Dallas, followed by Mrs. Lakshmi teaching the youth how to make crafts using plastic bags. The Youth then gave presentations on how we can save the Earth by keeping it clean and unpolluted. Finally, all of the volunteers joined together to clean the street and keep the streets beautiful. In addition to all this, Vounteers collected plastic bags and donated them to the Metrocrest Food Bank where they will be used to pack hygeine products for those in need. Ms. Juliana from the Frisco Environmental service department was our chief guest and she was very appreciative of how VT seva is one of the very few organizations who have still been in partnership with the city for over 10 years now and is continuing to keep the streets clean! A big thank you to Youth presenters - Sai, Sahasra, Rithya and Medha and all the adult and youth volunteers who joined us on Earth Day! Speech from Ms. Juliana: Pictures from Earth Day:

The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) has been representing and developing athletes and sports for people with visual impairments for 40 years. As a founding member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), IBSA plays a crucial role in growing both Paralympic sports and Para sport more widely. VT Seva supported Nethra Vidyalaya Institutions (College & School) participated in IBSA 22nd National Athletic Championship held at New Delhi from 14th – 16th December, 2022. 540 participants from 19 states and 131 institutions competed in the event. Out of 131 institutions, Nethra Vidyalaya secured 2 best institution awards in two different categories (T11 and T12) With the support of donors like you only VT Seva enabled these students to accomplish great achievements 5 students from Nethra Vidyalaya School and 10 students from Nethra Vidyalaya Degree colleges gave their best performance and won the following awards Medal Nethra Vidyalaya School Nethra Vidyalaya College Gold 2 2 Silver 5 ​ Bronze 6 2 Winners from Nethra Vidyala School: Name Category Medal Event K Lalitha T12 Gold 400 Meters ​ ​ Silver 100 Meters ​ ​ Silver 200 Meters T. Santhosh T11 Gold 200 Meters ​ ​ Silver 100 Meters V. Ravanni T11 Silver 200 Meters ​ ​ Bronze 100 Meters M.Satyavathi F13 Bronze Shotput ​ ​ Bronze Discus Throw ​ ​ Bronze Javelin Throw S.Dinesh T12 Silver 100 Meters Winners from Nethra Vidyalaya College: Name Category Event Medal J. Durga T11 100 Meters Gold ​ ​ 200 Meters Gold G Nagaraju F11 Javelin Throw Bronze K. Neelima F12 Shotput Bronze VT Seva thanks all the donors and volunteers for creating this huge impact in the visually challenged students life. For donations please visit us at vtsworld.org/donate

VT SEVA AUSTIN RAISES AWARENESS FOR BREAST CANCER AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE “Communities and countries and ultimately the world is only as strong as the health of their women.” – Michelle Obama The VT Seva Austin chapter Launched a 30 day Walking challenge on Mar 3rd to honor Women's Month and to promote a healthy lifestyle concluding with 5K- "Walk for HER" on Apr 1st. It’s all about highlighting the important role early detection and exercise can play in the risks associated with breast and cervical cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 250,000 US women are diagnosed with breast cancer and when detected at early stages can be treated. Studies have found that two to three hours of exercise per week resulted in 40% to 67% reduced risk of death. Through 5K- "Walk for HER" 2023 VTSeva Austin has raised funds for 10 camps which would treat 50 women in each camp. Our goal is to support 50 camps through out this year. Thankyou for your support, your participation and donations on the event day helped funds to test 500 women in rural parts of India and Nepal. Thank you to all the participants, Donors, Volunteers and well wishers of our VTSeva Austin 5K-”Walk for HER” Breast cancer awareness annual walkathon. VTSeva Hike for a cause is another initiative by VTSeva Austin to encourage family outdoor activity for healthy living and connecting with nature. Click here to join us on our Austin hikes. Impact of donations and time. One of the major pillars of VTSeva is Women Health and breast cancer Awareness . VTSeva has been conducting Breast cancer awareness walks in the US and camps in India under the banner name Mahila Arogya Vikas (MAV). Ever since its inception in 2007, MAV has served over 1.9million women (and counting) in over 1200 screening camps till day across rural parts of India and Nepal. Roughly about 50/100 women are screened free of cost in each of the medical camps. We conduct at least 200 camps every year. Free Medicines and treatments are also provided to women diagnosed with abnormalities. All these initiatives are made possible by hundreds of selfless and compassionate volunteers, engaging partners and donors with a vision of creating awareness among women thereby nurturing a healthy society. How can I be involved? Your participation in our annual 5K and other initiatives like Hike for a cause will help us spread the mission and keep our local communities strong and healthy. Your monetary donations would help us continue our awareness camps in India and Nepal to reduce breast cancer victims. Sponsor for Breast or cervical cancer kit ($25/kit) Sponsor for medicines ($10-25 /head ) Sponsor a camp ($250-$1000/camp) depending on how many are screened and treated. Donate Here VTSeva Austin chapter would like to take this opportunity to Thank all our donors, participants, partners, and volunteers of the 5K event for your unwavering support , and look forward to your participation in every annual 5K walkathon with your families and friends. A small encouragement from your side can bring a huge change in 1000 women in each Mega Health Camp. VT Seva invites you to come forward and bring a change in hundreds of families.

Author: Sriteja Kataru Have you ever thought about the actual path you are walking on, as you stroll along a trail? It's always there, guiding your steps, yet rarely does it garner attention amidst the surrounding greenery and scenic views. Still, without that path, we'd lose our way. It silently underpins every step of our walk, much like mental health guides every moment of our daily lives. Think about it. Mental health too stands silently in the field of our overall well-being, waiting to be recognized. It's only when we veer off the path that we truly understand its importance. This realization propelled us at VT Seva to host a walkathon along the Los Alamitos Creek Trail at Almaden Lake Park, turning each step into a statement of recognition for mental health. So, in that sense, this was not a mere walk in the park. It was a journey towards illuminating the often overlooked 'path' of mental health. Overall, it was a great success, with over 100 people attending the event to walk for a great cause. Many more people donated to the event, raising tens of thousands of dollars. The event took off at 9 am with insightful words from two distinguished guest speakers. First to share her wisdom was Dr. Kalpana Nathan, a renowned doctor in the field of mental health. As a clinical professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Nathan emphasized the significance of mental well-being. She enlightened us about understanding and responding to stress - a common facet of life that can, if not addressed properly, have detrimental effects on mental health. She explained how simple social acts such as sharing a meal with friends and family can enhance one’s mental wellness. Following Dr. Nathan was our second speaker, Ms. Kala, who is an integral coach. With her empathetic demeanor and relatable anecdotes, she effectively conveyed the challenges faced by high schoolers. Discussing issues such as rejection and other difficult situations, Ms. Kala offered supportive advice on how to navigate these stressful times. As the clock struck 10am, we found ourselves standing at the start of the Los Alamitos Creek Trail, surrounded by splendid views of the lake. The day was partly cloudy, the sun playing a game of hide and seek behind the clouds, casting a soft, filtered light on the trail. Walking together, we held signs echoing powerful messages like “Mental health matters!” and “It’s okay not to be okay.” The solidarity we felt was overwhelming - a true testament to the importance of community in supporting mental health. On either side of the trail, nature had dressed the park in its best attire. The generous spring rains had given life to a vibrant display of wildflowers. Their colors appeared even more intense under the shifting light, their beauty accentuated by the cloudy sky. At every turn, we’d come up to the creek flowing along the trail, its rhythm a calming presence. We walked two and half miles before making our way back to the starting point, but not before passing through a grove of fragrant eucalyptus. However, we weren't alone on this journey. The trail was a hub of activity, with joggers and cyclists enjoying the day, their faces animated by the invigorating effect of the cool, fresh air. Among the passing faces, one caught our attention - David Clifford, the founder of Brain Ablaze , a non-profit organization dedicated to epilepsy advocacy. Upon noticing our group and the cause we championed, he slowed his pace, intrigued. We shared our VTSeva’s mission, our passion for mental health awareness and how we use events like this walkathon to bring attention to it. His eyes lit up at this, and he voiced interest in collaborating for future events. His enthusiasm added a new layer of excitement to the day, leaving us with the anticipation of what such a collaboration could achieve. Overall, our second annual walkathon was more than just a morning stroll; it was a testament to the power of community, and an affirmation of our shared commitment to mental health. The shifting play of light and shade, the vibrant blossoms, the ebb and flow of the creek, and the meaningful encounter all made for a day to remember.

VT Seva successfully concluded its 2nd yearly Table Tennis & Badminton Tournaments this year, on April 30th, 2023 at Sparc Arena Sports & Recreation, in Novi, Michigan . It was amazing fast-paced game day with both Table Tennis and Badminton Tournaments running parallelly on the same day! With 95 players playing 160 games in 7 different formats - Girls Singles, Girls Doubles, Boys Singles, Boys Doubles, Women's Doubles, Men's Doubles - Badminton and Open Table Tennis games. We had 20 volunteers who bolstered our activities and 2 sponsorships for the event!! Girls Singles Badminton: We had 7 players in total for this segment. · Nishka won the 1st place with 6 wins · Kavisha won the 2nd place with 5 wins Girls Doubles Badminton: We had 6 players with 3 doubles teams who played the exciting Girls Doubles games. · Anvi & Kavisha won the 1st place with 2 wins · Navya & Riya won the 2nd place with 1 win Boys Singles Badminton : We had 9 players in total for this segment. · Satvik won the 1st place with 8 wins · Sam won the 2nd place with 7 wins Boys Doubles Badminton: We had 8 players with 4 doubles teams who played the exciting Boys Doubles games. · Nitin & Satvik won the 1st place with 3 wins · Chanakya & Sam won the 2nd place with 2 wins Women's Doubles Badminton: We had 12 players in total with 6 Women’s Doubles Badminton Teams. What an electric performance from both teams!! · Sushma & Chandrasena won the 1st place Women’s Championship Trophy · Manjula & Chandana won the 2nd place. Men's Doubles – Badminton: We had 40 players in total with 20 Men’s Double teams vying for the Men’s Championship Trophy. Semi Finals was between Rahul-Jayanth vs. Sreedhar-Manoj, Yunpeng-Ej vs. Mittulal-Rohit. What exciting Semis it was!! The Tournament Finals was played between Mittulal-Rohit vs. Sreedhar-Manoj. The stats below would show how much of a nail-biter it was. Mittulal-Rohit came out to be the victorious Champions of the Men’s Doubles Tournament. Open Table Tennis: We had 24 players in total with 12 teams in 2 groups in the Open Table Tennis tournament. As expected, the games were fast paced and fascinating. The teams that reached the Semis were: Deen-Mansour vs. Ali-Zhicheng & Harshini-Sriraj vs. Sidd-Abhishek The Championship Final was between Ali-Zhicheng vs Harshini Sriraj and Ali-Zhicheng’s team came out victorious to win the 1st Place Open Table Tennis Championship Trophy with 2nd place being Harshini-Sriraj. Photos from the event can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BQ42pEvqSVPwxJL6A VT Seva Volunteers: The backbone of our organization is our tireless, selfless and ever enthusiastic Volunteers, without whom any event is a non-starter. Game leads Harshini, Sirisha Game promotional activities Srinath, Vanitha, Nandini, Sreenivas, Harshini, Suresh, Anand, Sirisha & Venkat Game promotional activities - Youth Teja & Arya Youth volunteers on event day in food stall area, photography, timekeepers Sai Sahasra, Sai Karnati, Kalki, Oviya, Arya & Teja. Adult volunteers on event day such as Food stall, Trophies setup Vanitha, Priya, Durga, Jyothi, Raghunath, Nandini, Anand & Jaishankar Treasurer Anand & Jaishankar Game management Suresh, Venkat, Harshini, Sirisha & Chandrasekhar Sponsorships Reach out Srinath, Sirisha, Sudheer & Nandini Sports coordination Suresh Big THANKS to all the players, parents, volunteers, sponsors & supporters of this great cause and in encouraging us with their participation throughout the day!! Despite the initial challenges of gaining momentum, VT Seva Detroit volunteers' continued resilience & never-ending efforts made it a great success!! Without your continued support and contributions, it is not possible for VT Seva to provide quality education, food and lodging for our lovely Nethra Vidyalaya visually challenged children. On behalf of VT Seva Detroit, my heartfelt THANKS to all for making the event a SUCCESS!🙏🙏 🎊 CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS! 🎊 See you soon next year… Blog written by: Suresh Rajan Blog published by: Nandini Cheemalamarri

VT Seva Cincinnati is so excited to conduct Art Workshop for the summer of 2023 Date : Session 1: June 26 - June 30, Session 2: July 10 - July 14 Time : 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Venue : Online Join us to have fun, learn a skill and support Nethra Vidyalaya Schools & Students All proceeds benefit Netra Vidyalaya , a VT Seva supported school with a state of the art technology for visually challenged children empowering them to be self-reliant

VTS Cincinnati presents the most needed Seminar for any high schoolers! Please make sure to join on July 9, 2023 from 2:30-4:00 PM to learn about ACT, PSAT & SAT from a distinguished mentor. Mr. Madhu Sanakari is known for his distinguished work in tutoring and guiding students for standardized testing. Madhu has always had an extensive passion for education and mentoring academics. His work began at the University of Cincinnati as a part-time Mathematics professor and soon progressed into building his own educational center calls APlus Advanced Learning center in the year 2009. His contribution to PSAT/ACT/SAT prospects for the last 12 years has lead to National PSAT finalists and current IVY league students. This positive and motivational energy towards academia transitioned inti acquiring franchises of Sylvan Learning Centers of Greater Cincinnati, which has enhanced and advised hundreds of students accomplishing their best scores. For any questions please reach out to cincinnati.director@vtsworld.org

VT Seva Columbus is so excited to conduct 1st Annual Walkathon!!!! Date : June 4th, 2023 Time : 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM Venue : Ted Kaltenbach Park and Community Center, 5985 Cara Road, Dublin , OH - 43016 Join us as we walk to raise awareness about the physical health and learn about Nethra Vidyalaya Schools & Students All proceeds benefit Netra Vidyalaya , a VT Seva supported school with a state of the art technology for visually challenged children empowering them to be self-reliant

On behalf of VTSEVA Austin, we take great pleasure to express our gratitude to Austin Tamil Sangam for recognizing VTSEVA with the community service endowment award and donation for one of our pillars (Education to Visually challenged). We are inspired and boosted by this recognition. A community is only as strong as its people. We recognize the importance of partnership with esteemed organizations like Austin Tamil Sangam to bring the community together and create awareness about causes that serve the communities in need. VT Seva organization and the thousands of volunteers aim to help rebuild and restructure the underprivileged and underserved communities. Along with tireless community service in each location, our focus lies in providing free quality education, food for underprivileged tribal students and visually challenged, conducting free cancer screening, medical camps, and providing relief efforts when natural disaster strikes. ATS support for Netra Vidyalaya will go a long way in providing encouragement to the day-day operations. Netra Vidyalaya focuses on providing VALUE BASED quality education, technology assisted learning, self-reliant lifestyle to those leaders of tomorrow. “Their eyes cannot see, but they have a great vision” - VT Seva founder We are excited about this partnership and invite you to participate in all VTSEVA Austin’s service causes and events. Likewise, we would like to be a part of all Austin Tamil Sangam celebrations and community events. VTSEVA Austin provides volunteer opportunities for school aged kids and their families. Together, we can instill a service spirit in young minds and to live a life of purpose from a very young age.

The only thing that is worse than being blind is having sight but no vision - Helen Keller The VolunT Grants Program provides T-Mobile US employees an opportunity to apply for funding from the T-Mobile Foundation to support volunteer projects in their local communities in the categories of Bridging the Digital Divide , Equity in Action and Sustainability . T-Mobile employee Mr. Krishna Vennamaneni as the board member of VT Seva has applied for a grant of $1500 to empower the visually challenged studying at Nethra Vidyalaya, school for the visually challenged. T-Mobile foundation has approved his application. VT Seva has procured 3 computers with the T-Mobile grant amount - - 2 ACER DESKTOP-I-3/10th/8GB/1TB/WIN10HSL - 1 ACER 515 LAPTOP 15/8/512GB/WIN 11 The 3 computers procured with T-Mobile grant are enabling 15 visually challenged students to get educated in English, Math and Science without solely relying on books in Braille script, Braille slate and stylus. The technology is enabling them to become self reliant. Mr. Krishna Vennamaneni has been volunteering with the VT Seva organization every day from it's inception in 2008. He is a recipient of US President's Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteering more than 5000 hours in last decade. He is currently serving as the advisor to the organization where he mentors the youth and adults to become servant leaders and serve the communities we live in, especially to educate the visually challenged and underprivileged. VT Seva empowers youth with many community service projects and encourages them to define and own them, summer internships, art for equality competitions, volunteering music and dance to serve local communities and outreach projects. As the founding member of the organization and continuous commitment to serve, he has been playing a critical role in developing the organization from branches in 3 cities to 25 cities and about less than 50 volunteers to thousands of active volunteers. I regularly visit the schools for visually challenged to interact with the students, teachers and organizers to have firsthand information on their progress, their needs so that we can better empower them with education. The time spent with little children at Nethra Vidyalaya supported by VT Seva is priceless. Every child has a heart touching story to tell us. Ms. Spandana (in the above picture) was disowned and left orphaned when she was days old, by her parents as she was born blind. She is now a bright and joyful child, studying at Nethra Vidyalaya. She introduced her friends to me and many of them had similar stories. They are all happy, naughty and friendly children. They all have a bright future, thanks to the empowerment by VT Seva with support from many kind people and corporations such as T-Mobile . Motherly care is provided by teachers for students at the school. -Krishna Vennamaneni VT Seva organization has pioneered the use of the computers to educate the visually challenged so that they have opportunities to compete with others at equal footing. The blindness is not an obstacle for them with the use JAWS software on the computers that enables their education with audio enabled accessibility equipment. T-Mobile's passion is enabling everyone to have access to the connectivity, technology, and skills needed to thrive in a digital world. From supporting community partners to investing in education initiatives and providing disaster relief, T-Mobile's focus is on empowering people with the tools they need to make their essential connections. Mr. Krishna Vennamaneni is optimistic that with bigger grant amount from T-Mobile next year, he will be able to procure more computers for empowering more visually challenged children.

A person's most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge, but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen and a hand willing to help others. We can definitely say that our volunteers are always listening and finding ways to be most helpful in the most needed times. Here is a very inspiring story about the partnership with local community in Atlanta and the impact our youth volunteers had. 17 Youth volunteers from VT Seva Atlanta donated 4000 masks to the Special Needs Kids of Laurel Heights hospital since Covid-19 started in the year 2020. Laurel Heights provides high quality psychiatric and behavioral care to children. They have a residential program for children who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and a specialty acute inpatient unit for children in psychiatric crisis with co-occurring neurodevelopmental disabilities. They also offer general psychiatric acute care for children ages 6 – 17. As COVID-19 hit, the personal safety of physicians has become challenging and knowing this, VT Seva immediately came forward to help. Supplies were procured, children got trained to sew the masks and quickly worked on amazing quality reusable masks. They youth volunteers under the guidance of Dr. Madhu, N and Ms. Sandhya, Y not only provided the quality masks but also created training videos for others to quickly learn and help. This shows the amazing leadership and a true spirit of volunteerism. This has helped the Laurel Heights Hospital focus on what they do best, taking care of the patients with additional safety measures.

We are all in this together! Covid-19: a term we have all come to dread in 2020! The global pandemic led to lockdowns, stay-at-home orders & online classes, and on a more serious scale, job losses, numerous fatalities & hospitalizations leading to front-line workers everywhere being stressed & strained. During these trying times, the Srivatsan family (Detroit VT Seva), was eager to volunteer to help ease the situation in any way they could. All the volunteering organizations like Gleaner’s & Forgotten Harvest had cancelled their regular activities. The school district was turning away requests to volunteer to ensure student safety. This situation prompted this family of very active and eager volunteers to think of other ways to help. The two daughters Shreya Srivatsan, a freshman at the University of Michigan and her younger sister Saisha Srivatsan, an eighth grader at Larson Middle School, started making hand-written Thank You cards with messages of appreciation for the ER staff at Troy Beaumont Hospital and for officers of the Troy Police Department . On the weekends, they would sometimes bake cinnamon rolls, cookies and tater tots with the help of their mom (Nirmala) and grandma (Jayalakshmi) and deliver them to these frontline workers. At other times, they would deliver bagels and coffee. Their mom started making masks for the Gleaner’s employees , and Saisha also actively campaigned for a GoFundMe page that was created by the Detroit youth board to benefit a local hospital. Additionally, Saisha and her dad have signed up to run a virtual 6K in May to benefit Covid efforts. All members of this family have been awarded the Presidential Volunteer Service Award with Shreya and Saisha both having received the award for 3 consecutive years. They are always looking for volunteering opportunities and never cease to engage. May their enthusiasm be everlasting! VT Seva raised funds and supporting local communities across USA by providing 100,000+ meals through local food banks, 17,000+ N-95 masks to hospitals in highly impacted cities to protect doctors, nurses and other Healthcare staff. Read more . If you would like to join our ongoing efforts, donate here .

Superior Court Visit on June 9th, 2023 VT Seva Atlanta has organized a Superior Court visit today, June 9th for our middle schoolers and high schoolers to have hands-on experience in the field of Law / Political Science. Our youths had a great interactive session with Judge Rachelle Carnesale and her team of public defenders and prosecutors. Judge Rachelle Carnesale took time out from her busy day and explained everything in layman terms to our VT youths which is really commendable. She was highly impressed with what we do in VT Seva and told me to share VT Seva logo so she can put on her website. This is just the beginning and we’ll go again to the court house and support her drive - ‘My Journey Matters’ campaign to support innocent child abuse victims going through legal proceedings. She also appreciated how we support Special needs kids of the Laurel Heights hospital and blind / visually challenged kids of Nethra Vidhyalaya India. A great friendship bond is built today with Judge Rachelle Carnesale & her team of prosecutors and VT Seva team.