Age group

Food option available

Infirmary

Playground

Internet Access

For more than a century, the YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts has been providing vital services to women and their families in the Merrimack Valley, Essex County, and Southern NH. Founded in 1892, the YWCA was originally created to provide safe housing, job training and support to women who had moved from rural communities and overseas to work in area mills and shops. 

Today, the YWCA is a thriving social change agency that serves over 15,000 women, children and families every year, offering a range of services from housing, education, and employment support to health and wellness programs. The YWCA is an affiliate of YWCA USA, the nation’s oldest and largest multicultural women’s organization working for social and economic change. 

The YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts is committed to promoting equity and eliminating racism, empowering women and girls, and advocating for social justice. Through their commitment to providing quality services and advocating for social change, the YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts is ensuring that the Merrimack Valley, Essex County, and Southern NH community is a place of safety and opportunity for everyone.

Nature

Sportsfield activities

Cooking

Reading

Painting

Gardening

Field Trips

Art & Crafts

Sensory Play

Inexpensive

The Early Learning Center (ELC) serves 95 children ages 8 weeks to 5 years and includes an award-winning preschool program recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Center of Excellence for its strong, literacy-based curriculum.

We make full use of community resources, including the nearby public library, parks, and play spaces, to provide children with a well-rounded, experiential program. In addition, every child in our preschool program receives swimming and water safety lessons in our Olympic-size pool. This program is licensed by the MA State Department of Early Education and Care and is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Subsidies are available for income-eligible families.

Early Learning Center

The YWCA provides a safe, enriching, and fun environment year-round for children ages 5 to 14 at three sites, including our Main Building on Lawrence Street in Lawrence, our Enrichment Center located on Broadway Street in Lawrence, and our Haverhill site.  Most of our programs operate after-school during the school year and all day during school vacation weeks and the summer. YWCA programs are fully licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

After-School and Out-of-School-Time Enrichment

The YWCA Girls Center provides inner-city girls from Lawrence ages 5 to 14 the direction to experience success and build the confidence, skills, and perseverance that allow them to make healthy, safe choices in adolescence and later in life, as well.

Led by our experienced staff, Girls Center programs combine learning, exploration, and celebration – all to help girls build the academic, physical, and social skills that lead to success. Girls may enroll in a variety of age-appropriate after-school, summer, and evening programs year-round.