Food Provides a Path Forward at YouthLink

Everyone should have someone in their life that believes in them. For Derek*, who came to Minneapolis four years ago, that person was his aunt. “I grew up in Chicago and she was the one who was always telling me to never give up – to just keep working and apply myself,” he said. After graduating from high school and finding opportunities in his hometown lacking, a neighbor who owned a homemade pizza company and did business in St. Paul suggested he move to Minnesota. “I started out here in survival mode and a friend told me about YouthLink,” he said. “I walked in and didn’t know what it was at first.”

Since coming to YouthLink, Derek has gotten an apartment at Downtown View next door, which is convenient as he participates in the JK Movement’s Youth Mentorship Program onsite. The JK Movement, a St. Paul-based nonprofit, provides program facilitators to mentor youth on topics including decision making, relating to others with respect and financial literacy. “I feel comfortable talking with them because they know where I’m coming from,” said Derek. “They listen…they care.”

He is also currently an intern in the kitchen with Carl Hoke, YouthLink’s longtime Food Services Manager. “Derek has a lot of potential,” said Hoke. “He’s always willing to help and has come a long way since I met him.” Hoke, who has mentored countless youth in his nearly three decades at YouthLink, teaches young people valuable skills in food preparation and uses his connections to help them secure jobs in the local hospitality industry. “Derek is an example of why I’m still here,” he said.

“I’m trying to get to be financially stable and not go crazy,” said Derek. “And I’m still trying to understand Minnesota.” But through it all, and even though his aunt has passed away, her memory continues to help him keep pushing forward. Pointing to a bracelet on his wrist, he explains that it contains some of her ashes so she is with him always. “I never take this off,” he said. “Eventually I want to open a food truck and I’m going to call it ‘Auntie’s Kitchen.’ It’s going to have a picture of her and me and I’m going to paint it purple because that was her favorite color. And I remember when I was younger helping to take care of her when she had seizures so I’m going to collect donations for people with epilepsy.”

Paying it forward – happening daily at YouthLink.

*Name changed to protect client privacy