VT Seva Charlotte held our first Table Tennis Charity Tournament on December 16, 2023. Around ten youth and a few adult volunteers came together to make this event possible. We had roughly over 50 participants among 3 age groups, ranging from 5 to 18+. All the players and games were very competitive and had a lot of fun. It was very exciting to see the competitions and rallies between all talented players. In total, we raised around $1,000 through this tournament to donate to people in need. Overall, this was a very successful event and we look forward to hosting another!

VT SEVA Charlotte hosted its second annual summer camp for students in grades K-8, aiming to offer a diverse range of subjects such as mathematics, science, programming, music, robotics, art, public speaking, and language. Our primary objective was to create an enjoyable learning atmosphere that encompassed these various subjects. The camp's schedule was carefully structured to strike a balance between learning and recreational activities. As part of their daily routine, the children were regularly taken outdoors for recess, not only to break from learning but also to engage in physical activity and socialize. This camp not only provided a secure and stimulating learning environment during the summer vacation but also fostered a passion for learning and a sense of community among the participants. We had an amazing time conducting this event and hope to continue for further years!!

VT SEVA Charlotte organized a stream cleanup on June 17 at Freedom Park to keep the park and surrounding stream free of unwanted trash. Through the efforts of 12 youth volunteers and 10 adult volunteers, they collected 10 bags of trash filled with items like metals, plastics, and glass. These materials could harm animals and the environment causing a disruption in the ecosystem. These cleanups really help the local community’s environment become safer and healthier for animals and humans.

To celebrate Mother's Day, the dedicated volunteers of VT SEVA Charlotte came together to create beautiful handmade bouquets. In preparation for this event, VT SEVA Charlotte volunteers displayed incredible dedication and resourcefulness. Prior to the event, they collected leftover flowers from local stores that would have otherwise been discarded. By repurposing these flowers, they minimized waste and transformed them into beautiful bouquets. These thoughtfully crafted arrangements were sold with a purpose - to support cervical and breast cancer screenings. Every penny earned from the sales went directly towards funding these screenings, ensuring that women receive the necessary care and early detection they deserve.

VT Seva Charlotte celebrates our annual seedlings events for the 3rd year in a row!! The youth volunteers nurtured around 500 plants from the seed to the sapling. With tender care they were able to successfully raise over 400 of the saplings to good health. The seedlings ranged from a variety of flowers to vegetables like peppers, cucumber, squash and a variety of gourds. A group of 30 dedicated volunteers plus a few additional adult volunteers collectively met over the span of 2 months to come together and care for these plants. The volunteers set up a booth and sold the seedling to local community members, all the proceeds went towards Netra Vidyala the school of the blind.

In collaboration with our seedlings event, our Charlotte chapter decided to also make handmade clay pots with unique designs to sell with our seedlings. We used terracotta pots and painted them with a variety of designs. Our chapter made these pots to promote environmental sustainability. By using these terracotta pots instead of plastic pots we can save a variety of wildlife and make these vegetables better for our health.

The book drive was conducted to support the local community in Charlotte. The volunteers set up a booth to collect new and gently used books. The overall drive was a huge success, the volunteers collected a total 450 books. They were then driven to the shelter and handed out. It was very heartwarming to see how many people were in need of a basic necessity such as books. Overall, it was a very heartwarming experience that the volunteers are looking forward to conducting such events again.

In October 2022, we began offering table tennis lessons for children in a parent's garage. Since then, every Sunday, we've been teaching kids the basics of the game. Our goal was to establish a sustainable program that could raise funds for our educational pillar, which supports the provision of food, shelter, and education to students attending our schools for the visually impaired. By participating in these lessons, not only are the kids gaining important skills, but they are also contributing to a worthy cause. With the funds we raise through this initiative, we can continue to provide quality education, resources, and support to those who need it most. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of these young learners and help them reach their full potential. Through this initiative, we hope to foster a love for sports and healthy competition among our students, while also giving them a chance to develop valuable skills that will benefit them both on and off the table. With each lesson, we see their enthusiasm grow and their abilities improve, and we are proud to be able to offer them this opportunity.

Vt Seva Charlotte hosted a seedling event to raise money for tribal students. The seedlings team stuck with the process from the original seedlings planting to selling the full grown seedlings! This event took many hours by the team especially to take care of the seedlings on a weekly basis! The seedlings team was very proud and happy to have conducted a successful event and are so thankful to everyone who supported their efforts! They learned from their experiences and are excited to conduct the event again next year!

This year's Mother's Day was made extra special thanks to the Charlotte youth volunteers. They crafted flowers to sell in their neighborhoods to collect money for India's tribal children. They also created bouquets for all of the mothers at a nearby nursing home. Flowers were given to them, and the volunteers spent time talking to them and playing with them. Because they were unable to spend the day with their own children, the volunteers made it extra special. With all these efforts the volunteers were able to raise a substantial amount of money from the Mother's Day Event. 

VT Seva Charlotte celebrates our annual seedlings events for the 3rd year in a row!! The youth volunteers nurtured around 500 plants from the seed to the sapling. With tender care they were able to successfully raise over 400 of the saplings to good health. The seedlings ranged from a variety of flowers to vegetables like peppers, cucumber, squash and a variety of gourds. A group of 30 dedicated volunteers plus a few additional adult volunteers collectively met over the span of 2 months to come together and care for these plants. The volunteers set up a booth and sold the seedling to local community members, all the proceeds went towards Netra Vidyala the school of the blind.

The VT Seva Charlotte branch hosted a  Covid safe drive through Toiletries Drive event where people could drop off toiletries that were needed by the local homeless community.   All of the products were donated to the Salvation Army, who supported us in getting our supplies to individuals in need.

The Charlotte branch of VT Seva held a Sandwhich Drive, in which volunteers made sandwiches and donated them all to a shelter called the Urban Ministry Center to support the area's homeless. Later that day, they were served that food later that day for lunch.

The Charlotte branch of VT Seva held a Mother's Day event in which volunteers crafted small  flower bouquets to sell and raise money for blind and tribal schools in India. In addition, the volunteers visited a local nursing home to deliver a bouquet to the elderly women who resided there, making Mother's Day a little more special for them.

VT SEVA Charlotte celebrated 3rd annual cultural event PRERANA 2020 on December 20th, 2020 with a goal of supporting the education of 80 underprivileged children. The youth volunteers of VT SEVA Charlotte took the lead in planning, coordination and organization of the event. Ever since our beloved CEO HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji named the annual event as “PRERANA”, the volunteers of VT SEVA Charlotte drew “INSPIRATION” from the cause and organized the event annually. . The event was kicked off by the lighting of a ‘Diya’ and passing it on from senior youth volunteers to the Junior volunteers symbolizing the transfer of the responsibility of the organization to inspiring the next generation. VT SEVA Charlotte invited noted child Psychiatrist Mr. Raghava Reddy to conduct a mental health seminar.. The youth volunteers asked Dr. Reddy on the challenges of remote learning and social distancing due to COVID-19 to make it useful for the children and also the parents.. The volunteers explained, the mission, the four pillars of VT SEVA and the goal of PRERANA 2020.. The VT SEVA Charlotte youth volunteers were able to orchestrate the virtual event PRERANA 2020 smoothly and are thankful to the National leadership team for continuous support, and grateful to our CEO HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji for providing the platform and inspiring us to serve the underprivileged.

In December 2020, the youth of VT SEVA Charlotte put together a book club for younger kids. They have been working together since the beginning of November, planning, making the flyer and executing this dream of theirs. It was very well executed, and it was heartening to see the dying art of reading books, being brought back to life in this era of the ubiquitous smart phone. There were kids of varying ages that had signed up for book club, and there were moderators for each age group. These young but enthusiastic moderators conducted these sessions with great gusto, each week.

Youth volunteers from VT Seva Charlotte (North) participated in Operation Sandwich program on 2/29/20 and made sandwiches and delivered to the Soup Kitchen of Urban Ministry Center in Charlotte

VT Seva Youth Volunteers taught refugee children on 1/11/2020.