On the eve of its milestone 50th anniversary, UNITY (United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc.) celebrated its 49th birthday not with cake and candles, but with compassion and community. In honor of nearly five decades of empowering Native youth, UNITY’s national staff dedicated a day to volunteering at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), an organization working to end hunger for children around the world. Across the globe, hunger claims one person’s life every 4 seconds. UNITY staff helped feed 158 children for an entire year by helping pack over 267 boxes of food.
This act of service is more than a symbolic gesture—it echoes the heart of UNITY’s mission: empowering Native youth to be the change agents in their own communities. Since the creation of the National UNITY Council (NUC), which now includes over 320 affiliated youth councils, UNITY youth have been leading grassroots initiatives that are transforming Indian Country from the inside out.
Each year, according to annual reports submitted by youth councils, the average amount of community service completed by a single council is 240 hours. Multiply that by 320 councils, and that’s a staggering 76,800 hours of youth-led community service completed every year across the nation. These projects range from organizing food drives and cultural events to youth suicide prevention campaigns, environmental cleanups, and voter registration efforts. And these hours don’t even include the countless hours youth spend planning, training, and mentoring behind the scenes.
These acts of service aren’t random acts of kindness—they’re strategic, sustainable, and deeply rooted in cultural identity and community healing.
Over the past 49 years, UNITY youth councils have lived out the principle that Native youth are not the problem—they are the solution. Through UNITY, thousands of young people have taken on roles as protectors, advocates, and bridge builders, committed to solving the challenges their communities face.
To commemorate this year’s birthday, UNITY staff chose to serve in solidarity with one of the most urgent global issues: childhood hunger. Their volunteer day took place at Feed My Starving Children, a Christian nonprofit dedicated to seeing every child whole in body and spirit. FMSC addresses a heartbreaking statistic—over 6,200 children die every day from causes related to undernutrition. These deaths are largely preventable.
FMSC’s mission is simple yet profound: Hope begins with food. And UNITY is in the business of Hope. The meals FMSC provides are scientifically formulated to reverse and prevent malnutrition. Working with long-term food distribution partners, FMSC ensures meals are not just delivered but sustained, helping entire communities move from crisis to self-sufficiency. Volunteers like UNITY staff members help hand-pack meals that are shipped globally to children in desperate need, allowing them to grow, thrive, and dream.
By participating in this effort, UNITY staff reconnected with the spirit that drives the Native youth they serve year-round—a deep calling to rise up, respond, and rebuild. Whether through mentoring youth, planning conferences, or packing meals, UNITY remains focused on its vision of a world where Native youth lead with spiritual, mental, physical, and social balance.
As UNITY approaches its 50th year in 2026, the organization stands firm on the legacy of its youth. With more than 76,000 hours of youth-led service each year, UNITY is a testament to the power of grassroots action fueled by tradition, purpose, and a love for the community.