Volunteers Wanted
Fit your schedule and your location
Fit your schedule and your location
Community engagement in the Cherokee spirit of Gadugi
Five service areas to fit your interests
Gadugi ᎦᏚᎩ Corps’ mission is to lift each other up during times of hardship. As Cherokees, we are stronger together and understand that we are our most valuable resource to each other. We commit to strengthen our communities through service. We commit to uplift each other through opportunity. We commit to impact our tribe by standing firm on our ability to find resolutions to our most dire issues.
Gadugi, It’s in our Roots, our guiding principle of helping each other because we are one tribe.
Volunteers and/or National Service Participants to provide short term supplemental education in the form of academic camps to Cherokee Nation Communities with demonstrated educational gaps. Gadugi Corps also provides Cherokee Nation Scholarship Recipients opportunities to volunteer, fulfilling their volunteer requirements to help fellow Cherokees. We also connect at-large citizens virtually to students on the reservation with our zoom mentorship project. We value our relationships with schools and universities and strive to collaborate and assist anyway we can with the help of Cherokee volunteers.
Volunteers and /or National Service Participants to engage in short term community-based projects, to address local needs such as serving an elder and/or working on community capital projects.
A network of volunteers and /or National Service Participants who provide educational and career mentorships for Cherokee Nation youth and young adults through safe and controlled interactions and experiences.
Cherokee Nation citizens have the opportunity to join our database to be contacted in time of need. Cherokees helping Cherokees. Gadugi Corps currently helps with disasters and emergencies big and small. Training opportunities will be offered for communities that can sustain a Gadugi Corps Disaster/Emergency Response Team.
Volunteers and /or National Service Participants specifically form relationships with the At-Large Community and Cultural Outreach participating organizations in special short-term community service projects with On-reservation "Sister" communities.
“It is in the interest of the Cherokee Nation to promote and support volunteerism and opportunities for national service. The Cherokee concept of “Gadugi”- working together for the common good- is deeply ingrained in Cherokee culture and traditions. An increase in volunteerism and participation in national service programs has the potential to support local problem solving, grassroots community organization and stronger national identity among Cherokee citizens. Therefore, perpetuating the time-honored concept of “Gadugi.”
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.
--Principal Chief of the Cherokee NationPeavine school was honored to host the first annual Gadugi Corps Summer Reading Camp. As an elementary principal/superintendent I see the importance of summer reading as it helps children to maintain and improve their reading skills during summer break, preventing "summer slide" learning loss. The camp, staff, and volunteers helped students to foster a new love of reading with their electric energy and exposed them to new reading activities and critical thinking exercises. Such a great event to keep their brains active outside of the school year.
Amanda Long
SuperintendentZion School is very thankful for the opportunity Cherokee Nation provided to our students to attend the Gadugi Corp Summer Reading Camp. Opportunities like this create lifelong memories and equip students with the tools needed to succeed in life. We appreciate the relationship we have with the Cherokee Nation.
Clay Yeager
SuperintendentThe ability to make meaningful connections and give back to Cherokees on the Reservation no matter where I am is invaluable to me. 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. Thank you again, and please let me know how else I can help in the future!
Zane Wyatt AIA, NCARB
Project Architect IAs a Cherokee Nation citizen living in California, I often feel disconnected from my heritage and am actively looking for ways to reconnect. Sharing my life and career story with fellow Cherokees through Gadugi Corp’s mentorship zoom project, has allowed me to form meaningful relationships while inspiring Cherokee kids to chase their dreams. Especially as Cherokee in STEM, a field in which Indigenous People are often underrepresented, it is imperative that students find an Indigenous scientist to look up to. I look forward to continuing to give back to my community, and hopefully inspire Cherokee students to pursue scientific fields.
Amanda Nichole Croteau
marine scientist from Sacramento, California