TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner announced Monday, that the Gadugi Corps volunteer and national service program has grown its volunteer database to nearly 6,000 Cherokee citizens and will launch a new Gadugi Summer program for at-large Cherokees to volunteer.
Shawn Crittenden will also be promoted to Gadugi Corps Executive Director as the program takes on an elevated status within the tribal government.
“Gadugi Corps was born from the belief that the spirit of our ancestors — the willingness to show up for one another — is not a relic of the past but a living, breathing part of who we are as Cherokee people,” said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Nearly 6,000 volunteers strong, Gadugi Corps is a clear reflection of how deeply our citizens embrace this calling, and we remain committed to growing that number even further. Making Gadugi Corps an executive director level department is a recognition of how essential it has become to the daily fabric of Cherokee life.”
In addition to the volunteer growth, Cherokee Nation announced that Gadugi Corps will transition to operate as an independent department within the tribal government. The move reflects the program’s significant growth and the tribe’s commitment to institutionalizing community service as a core function of Cherokee Nation operations.
In 2025, according to the Gadugi Corps Report, Cherokee citizens volunteered more than 51,000 hours of service helping fellow Cherokees, among other achievements.
Crittenden, who has overseen Gadugi Corps as a director since its founding, will be named Executive Director of the new department. Crittenden also served as District 8 Councilor from 2015 to 2023.
“Taking on this role as Executive Director means the world to me, because Gadugi is not just a program but also a promise, we are making to every Cherokee citizen who needs a helping hand and to every volunteer who is ready to give one,” said Gadugi Corps Executive Director Shawn Crittenden. “With our own department, we have the structure and the resources to reach more communities, respond more quickly to needs, and make a deeper impact than ever before. The best days of Gadugi Corps are ahead of us.”
Cherokee Nation also introduced Gadugi Summer, a new six-week program running from June 1 through July 13 that brings up to 15 at-large Cherokee college students to the reservation to serve their fellow citizens through community service projects. Selected participants will receive a $1,000 service stipend, with $1,000 education scholarship and all travel, lodging, and meal expenses covered by the tribe.
To be eligible, applicants must be at-large Cherokee citizens, 18 years of age or older, and currently enrolled in college. The application window will remain open until all 15 openings are filled.
“Many of our at-large Cherokees carry a deep love for the tribe and a genuine desire to give back, but they simply may not have had a clear path to do so,” said Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. “Gadugi Summer changes that. It invites our young people to come home, to roll up their sleeves alongside their fellow citizens, and to walk away not only having served others but having reconnected with the values and the community that define who they are as Cherokees. This program is an investment in both our elders and our future leaders.”
The Gadugi Corps program, signed into law in December 2023 and launched in 2024, is rooted in the Cherokee community value of “Gadugi,” emphasizing unity, working together, and community support. In its first year, the program established a database of more than 2,400 Cherokee citizen volunteers, assisted more than 80 elementary students in reading camps, and enrolled 17 designated communities in emergency response training.
In 2025, the Gadugi Corps reading camp participation grew to more than 150 elementary students, and 24 communities are now enrolled in emergency preparedness training. Volunteers have also contributed across a wide range of service areas, including disaster relief, youth mentorship, and community outreach both on and off the reservation. The Gadugi Corps Legacy Living Initiative, introduced on the program's one-year anniversary, continues to provide structured volunteering opportunities specifically designed for Cherokee elders.
Principal Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner launched the Gadugi Corps concept in 2023 as a major part of their second term policy initiatives through an executive order establishing a task force on volunteerism. They proposed the Gadugi Corps Volunteer and National Service Act of 2023 into law in December of that year.
Though elevated to its own executive director level department, Gadugi Corps will continue to closely collaborate with the tribe’s hub for community organizing, the Community and Cultural Outreach department.
Gadugi Corps continues to welcome participation from Cherokee citizens both on and off the reservation, offering opportunities for those across the country to contribute meaningfully to their tribal community. For more information about volunteer opportunities, Gadugi Summer, or to join the Gadugi Corps, visit https://gadugi-corps.cherokee.org/.