08/19/2026
A little over a year ago I took over for Kathy Petersen as the Executive Director with NDYS. When took over I was a deep believer in this mission and in the work Northmen Den does, but I was still learning the organization and had not yet had the opportunity to really get to know many of our students and volunteers.
A lot has changed in the last year.
I strengthened policies and procedures, implemented digital volunteer hour tracking, and applied for grants that were previously unknown to Northmen Den. We made improvements behind the scenes that have helped make this organization stronger and more sustainable.
And, perhaps most significantly, I became a mom this year.
Becoming a mother has given me an entirely new perspective on the work we do. I have always cared deeply about the kids we serve, but there is something different about looking at a child and knowing, in the most visceral way possible, just how much they depend on the adults and communities around them.
Every child deserves to grow up knowing that they matter. They deserve enough food to eat. They deserve to be able to focus on school without wondering where their next meal is coming from.
That is why the work of Northmen Den matters so much.
But the most important things that happened this year had little to nothing to do with me.
We served more students. Unfortunately, our numbers continue to rise. While it is a good thing that we are able to continue serving a growing population, it also bluntly highlights that there is more work to be done.
We opened our 15th pantry in January. It was supposed to open in December, but Mother Nature had different ideas for us.
We also experienced another “hundred-year storm.” Our families genuinely had not recovered from the ice storm in March of 2025 when the rains came this April. Families already struggling to make ends meet were suddenly facing property damage, transportation challenges, power outages, and even more unexpected expenses.
And once again, Northmen Den was there.
Not because of me.
Because of you.
We also had more volunteer hours than ever before. People showed up week after week throughout the school year to stock shelves, carry boxes, organize food, and make sure a pantry was ready when a student walked through the door.
That is what makes Northmen Den work.
It isn't one person. It isn't one staff member. It isn't one board member. It is a community of people who have decided that feeding kids is worth showing up for.
And that community was on full display at our event.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone who attended, sponsored, donated, volunteered, bid, danced, laughed, and helped make this years adult prom a success. I am especially grateful to Robyn Rakoniewski for championing the event and carrying so much of the planning while I was away on maternity leave, and to Kari Manthei for stepping in to support Northmen Den while I was home with my new baby.
But most of all, I am grateful to you.
Thank you for believing that something as simple as a bag of food can change the trajectory of a child's week.
Thank you for donating your time, your money, your resources, your connections, and your energy.
Thank you for believing that our kids are worth investing in.
And thank you for being part of a community that refuses to look at hunger as someone else's problem.
Northmen Den is growing because the need is growing. But we are also growing because this community continues to say, “Yes. We can do something about that.”
So let's keep doing it.
Let's keep feeding kids.
Let's keep showing up.
And let's keep changing lives.
Donate Today: https://givebutter.com/c/NDYSmasquerade
With gratitude,
Liz McKenney
Executive Director
Northmen Den Youth Services
