Building unity in community: Unitary America

PLATTSBURGH | A team of young, college age adults has formed an action plan around creating unity. Established as a non-profit, non-political organization in September, Unitary America seeks conversation on common ground. Garrett Monette, a student at SUNY Plattsburgh, founded the group to address what he's perceived is a loss of care in community discourse. Rather than sit back and watch -- or put paint on a house that's falling down -- he looked for ways to connect. "The word 'unitary' reflects how one person can make a difference," he said in an interview with The Sun. "If you want to help build the future that you want, you need to do something. I'm done watching, I'm doing instead. "If we look at our communities now, it seems there's lack of unity. People have stopped looking at each other as fellow Americans and are taking sides," Monette said. "People like to look at things in black and white. But I feel like there are actually many ways to see through division. There are good parts of every argument, and if we take pieces that work from different sides and put them together, we could have actual solutions." Unitary also means helping bridge the divide to bring people together, Monette said. "Among my generation, people complain about what they're seeing, but don't do anything to address their concern. I started this organization because I saw this need, a need for discourse, a need to bring people together around issues we agree on. "Personally, I think we need to come together and stop fighting over the smallest stuff. Affordability is a nationwide issue. Food insecurity is an immediate need. We need to fight to fix that and not fight over culture wars." Facing the uncertainty of imbalance, Unitary America has been holding food drives, both in person and with collection bins placed in local businesses in the City of Plattsburgh. They hold distribution events with outreach at the Plattsburgh Public Library. "It's just about doing it. It can be the smallest things," Monette said of putting unity in motion. "Even by volunteering for a food drive, you're being a community member instead of just sitting by," he said. "There could be a lot less suffering if that happens." Unitary America looks to raise awareness, especially around affordability. Taking steps to allay food costs is one way forward, Monette said. And the group is planning to build a Community Garden at South Acres Park in the spring. "We got zoning approval for an area at South Acres. It was quite the process, too," Monette said. "We decided to ask to put it there because it's walking distance for a lot of people who might be able to use it. It's a great location and there's a lot of space in South Acres Park. "I still have to present the plan to the Common Council to get things finalized; but if they approve it, then we could start building the garden plots in the spring. We're going to build raised beds. "We're going to continue with the food drives. People need food at all times, not just for November and December," Monette said. Unitary America has grown in membership over the past two months, minus political focus and without judgment, primarily by word of mouth. Peer response, Monette said, has been encouraging. "Even in the immediate community, everyone has been very receptive. The community does show up. I'm happy it's going as well as it is right now," he said. "It's great to see people care about one another, to help build unity. To help build a better future." The group's first 2026 meeting is planned for Jan. 24. It will be held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the second floor at the Plattsburgh Public Library. "We're open to questions from organizations who might need help," Monette said. "Sometimes people look at the younger generation and say 'you don't have the wisdom' to do this. Well, how do you build wisdom? Even the small things help. And words without action are nothing but words. It's the execution that matters." To reach Unitary America with ideas or interest: By phone: 518-303-7214 By mail: Unitary America, Suite 367, 35A Smithfield Boulevard, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 By email: garrettmonette@unitaryamerica.org Online: unitaryamerica.org

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Building unity in community: Unitary America

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