Ten Years. One Vision. Thousands of Students.

In 2016, Northmen Den Youth Services began with a simple vision: feed our local middle and high school students.

That first year, we served just 8 students at 1 location.

We knew there were kids in our community who needed access to food, but we never could have imagined how many students would eventually walk through our doors, or how many people would come together to make sure they never had to wonder where their next meal would come from.

Today, Northmen Den Youth Services serves up to 500 students every week at 16 locations across our local Charlevoix and Emmet County schools.

What started as one small pantry has grown into a network of school-based food pantries providing food and essential items directly to students who need them. There are no applications, no referrals, and no questions asked. If a student needs something, we want them to be able to get it.

This November, we are celebrating 10 years of making that vision a reality.

But this anniversary isn't really about us. It's about the thousands of students who have been able to take home a bag of food. It's about the school staff who recognize when a student needs a little extra support. It's about the volunteers who stock shelves and deliver food. It's about the businesses, foundations, community organizations, and individual donors who have believed in this work year after year.

And most importantly, it's about what happens when an entire community decides that no student should have to face the school day hungry.

Ten years ago, there were 8 students.

Today, there are 500 students a week.

Help us celebrate 10 years by making sure Northmen Den Youth Services is here for the next 10.

Your support will help us keep our pantries stocked, reach more students, and continue turning a simple vision into something that changes lives every single week.

Let's see how far we can go together.

10 Year Anniversary Party