YMCA of the North Shore

Our YMCA is an inclusive organization joined together by a shared commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living, and fostering a sense of social responsibility.

The YMCA of the North Shore is comprised of six local YMCAs that have joined together or been developed over the last decade and a half to create one YMCA association. YMCAs in our association date back to the 1850s, beginning with the Salem YMCA. In 1994, when the Beverly Regional YMCA merged with the Cape Ann YMCA, our association started developing and strengthening a sense of community across the North Shore. The Salem and Marblehead/Swampscott YMCAs joined our association in 1999, officially creating the YMCA of the North Shore.

With the combined resources of four YMCAs, our newly formed association invested in a property in Ipswich, launched a capital campaign and built a new YMCA. The building opened in December of 1999; bringing the number of local Ys in our association to five. Numerous renovations and additions took place over the years to add space and amenities to all five YMCAs. In 2006, the Haverhill YMCA joined the YMCA of the North Shore, growing our service area to 25 cities and towns. And in 2014, the YMCA took over the former Rockingham Athletic Club, creating the Plaistow Community YMCA in Plaistow, NH.