Healthy Community Initiative

By Mariana Cruz, Néepa Hyde, and Byrd Lenzen as Guest Columnists for the Northfield News

Over the course of 10 years, Northfield YouthBank has granted $200,000 to nearly 80 youth-led projects. Continuing the program’s dedication to uplifting the voices and ideas of young people in Northfield, the local YouthBank chapter launched a grant round in fall 2025 centered on the creation of third spaces.

YouthBank is a philanthropy program in which a trained team of youth grant-makers awards funds to youth-led projects that aim to improve quality of life in Northfield. In the fall grant round, the program received numerous projects set to address the lack of third spaces – places for youth to connect outside of school and home – in the Northfield community. These spaces are critical for the mental well-being of youth and serve as places where relationships and connection can be formed.

After research, Northfield YouthBank determined that one of the greatest challenges affecting Northfield youth was the lack of third spaces and hopes to address this issue with recently funded grants.

One project funded was a Connection Café. Northfield High School’s Bring Change to Mind Club plans to create a space for students to open up about mental health in a positive and inclusive environment. Through this project, the club will create connections and spark conversations rooted in the destigmatization of mental health.

Northfield YouthBank’s grant to the Northfield American Sign Language club will provide funds to purchase new and updated ASL books, allowing the program to continue raising awareness about the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and teach students the basics of American Sign Language.

For more information, visit the YouthBank page of our website, email northfieldyouthbank@gmail.com or follow on Instagram at @northfieldyouthbank.