TAHLEQUAH, OK – A year after the Cherokee Nation launched its Gadugi Corps volunteer program, more than 2,000 volunteers stepped forward to help on hundreds of projects in critical areas of disaster relief, education reading camps, youth mentorship and other community service needs.
In its first year, the volunteer and national service program now has an established database of 2,400 Cherokee citizen volunteers by region that can be called upon in times of need. It has helped more than 80 elementary students in reading camps and has 17 designated communities signed up for professional development for training on basic emergency response to aid in natural disasters.
“The root of Gadugi goes back to our ancestors who held a sense of community,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Hoskin.
“When someone was in need, the community would rally to help. Gadugi Corps embodies this tradition still today as a value that is still very much a part of our core beliefs and actions. The first year of Gadugi Corps has been an extraordinary success, and we expect even greater volunteerism and service in our communities, and to help further our Cherokees in need in 2025.”
On the anniversary of the program implementation, Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner announced a new “Gadugi Corps Legacy Living Initiative” and a partnership with Grand Gateway Economic Development Authority in support of its AmeriCorps-funded “Senior Companionship Program.”
“Many of our elder Cherokees are single, and some may have limited family support in which this volunteer initiative tailors ways for them to be active and contribute in their tribal communities in an organized way,” said Deputy Chief Warner. “Gadugi at its core is all of us working hand in hand and supporting each other for the whole of our tribe.”
Some of the ways elders will be able to volunteer include handwritten notes for the tribe’s school backpack programs or Valentines for veterans, stuffing packets for conferences or Cherokee National Holiday, or helping with emergency preparedness packets or homelessness care packages.
Through the Gadugi Corps program, Cherokee Architect Zane Wyatt, who lives in Arizona, was able to mentor students at Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah about job opportunities in STEM fields, what high school and college courses might be beneficial and how to pursue career opportunities in architecture.
“The ability to make meaningful connections and give back to my fellow Cherokees on the reservation no matter where I am is invaluable to me,” said Wyatt. “Gadugi Corps gives me the opportunity to carry out the teachings of our ancestors to come together in the spirit of Gadugi and give back to the communities that gave us so much.”
Gadugi Corps connects individuals to opportunities for helping others building lasting community bonds and solving local challenges. In 2025, the Cherokee Nation aims to grow the program to more than 10,000 volunteers.