What is The Key?

Impact

300 Number individual youth NUY works with every year
12,000 Number of visits to The Key every year
90 Number of individual youth in leadership position every year
4,000 Number of free meals served every year
800 Number of staff/youth interventions every year

History

The Northfield Union of Youth (NUY) was founded in 1993 by a Youth Board and a Board of Directors. Its first major accomplishment was to open a substance-free youth center as a safe place for all youth to feel welcomed and encouraged, and to provide an opportunity to connect to the Northfield community. The youth center opened in December of 1995 and became known as “The Key”; named in memory of Northfield High School student Lindsay Key Perkins. Lindsay championed the idea of a place for youth to call their own, but tragically died before the doors opened. In 2010, The Key moved from 303 Water Street South to 109 6th Street West. The move opened the doors to hundreds more youth. In 2016, NUY added food programming at The Key, partnering with Just Food Co-op and Carleton College’s Food Recovery Network to provide free and healthy meals every day. In 2017, NUY grew to three youth boards, specializing in The Key, Mental Health, and Homelessness. In 2018, NUY’s youth leadership hired two additional full-time youth advocates to provide more services for youth throughout the community.

Funding

NUY is a 501(c)3 non-profit and is funded primarily from donations and contributions from generous individuals, organizations, and businesses. If you’d like to support our mission, please click the donate button at the top of the screen or contact us about current needs.
NUY also weaves together an array of grants to make our mission possible. NUY works with people, organizations, foundations, and agencies for the benefit of youth. Click here for our current list of funders.