# YMCA of the North

> YMCA of the North is one of the largest YMCA associations in North America, serving communities across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Formed from the 2012 merger of the century-old Minneapolis and St. Paul Ys and renamed in 2020, it runs fitness centers, early-childhood and school-age child care, aquatics and swim lessons, teen leadership programs, and a set of wilderness camps that have been sending kids into the Boundary Waters since the 1920s. With roughly 3,900 staff and around $166 million in annual revenue, it operates on a membership-plus-donation model where paying members and donors subsidize financial-assistance spots so that income is not a barrier to access.

- **Founded:** 2012
- **Headquarters:** Minneapolis, United States
- **Founders:** Glen Gunderson (President & CEO)
- **Team size:** ~3,900 employees
- **Products:** Membership & Fitness Centers, Aquatics & Swim Lessons, Early Childhood & Child Care, School Age Child Care, Overnight & Day Camps
- **Notable:** One of the largest YMCA associations in North America and among the largest in the world., Formed one of the five largest Ys in the nation at the 2012 merger, with assets exceeding $260 million., Operates wilderness camps continuously since 1922 (Menogyn) and 1929 (Widjiwagan).

## Products & services

- **Membership & Fitness Centers** — Community fitness centers with gyms, group exercise classes, personal training, and wellness programming across the Twin Cities metro and beyond.
- **Aquatics & Swim Lessons** — Swimming lessons for all ages, lap and open swim, and water-safety programming positioned as a safety mission as much as recreation.
- **Early Childhood & Child Care** — Full-day, year-round early childhood learning centers for children six weeks to five years, plus part-day preschool readiness programs.
- **School Age Child Care** — Before-school, after-school, and out-of-school-time care for school-age children.
- **Overnight & Day Camps** — Summer day camps and overnight camps including the BOLD & GOLD leadership program at Camps Ihduhapi, St. Croix, Menogyn, and Widjiwagan.
- **Wilderness Camps** — Camp Menogyn (est. 1922) and Camp Widjiwagan (est. 1929) run canoeing and backpacking trips of 5 to 50 days for teens on the edge of the Boundary Waters.
- **Teen Leadership & Youth in Government** — Center for Youth Voice, Youth in Government, and the Minnesota YMCA Model United Nations, engaging hundreds of students in civic leadership.
- **ForeverWell for Seniors** — Wellness, fitness, and social programming designed for older adults.
- **Adaptive & Inclusion Programs** — Adaptive programs and special-needs access so people of all abilities can participate.

## Achievements

- One of the largest YMCA associations in North America and among the largest in the world.
- Formed one of the five largest Ys in the nation at the 2012 merger, with assets exceeding $260 million.
- Operates wilderness camps continuously since 1922 (Menogyn) and 1929 (Widjiwagan).
- Runs the Minnesota YMCA Model United Nations bringing together 750+ students in grades 7-12.
- Rebranded from 'YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities' to 'YMCA of the North' in 2020.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Announced new members to its Board of Directors.
- **2026-04** — Hosted the Minnesota YMCA Model United Nations for 750+ students in grades 7-12.
- **2026-02** — Held the 12th annual Kidarod family adventure race on February 21, 2026.
- **2026-01** — Offered 'Get Summer,' a free summer membership for teens entering grades 9-12, with the Schulze Family Foundation.

## Links

- Website: https://www.ymcanorth.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ymca-of-the-north
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/YMCAoftheNorth
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ymcatwincities
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcanorth
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YMCANorth

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ymca-of-the-north
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-14