Northmen Den Youth Services has been providing food, hope and opportunities to our community's youth since 2016.

Today, we have a pantry in 15 different schools throughout Emmet County that 450+ students visit weekly! These pantries provide not only food, toiletries, and new clothing but also increase self-esteem thanks to our caring volunteers.

Northmen Den Youth Services answers a vital, basic need for nutrition for fast-growing middle & high school bodies and in turn helps students to focus on their studies and instead of having to worry about where their next meal is coming from.

Teachers have seen an improvement in student grades, behavior, and greater participation in school when a student has food to eat over the weekend. One teacher wrote in her School Survey, "(Northmen Den) is beneficial for our students in need; for some, it is the only food they may get over the weekend."

Recent studies reveal that more than 1 in 7 adults with children report their children were not getting enough to eat (this is more than 5 times the pre-pandemic rate). These numbers are even more devastating when we recognize that it is our children who suffer the most. Children cannot work to “earn” their way out of poverty. There are no easy solutions for those born into extreme need. The truth is, their only option is to come home to empty cabinets and growling tummies, day after day.

We hope you will continue with your beautiful gifts or begin providing necessary food for these children with your first donation. We wish there was not a need, but there is.

Hunger Hurts