Saying they’re “stronger together,” YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon Counties and Greater Valley YMCA, effective Monday, will be combined and re-named “River Crossing YMCA.”
The new entity will serve all of Northampton and Lehigh counties as well as Bucks and Hunterdon counties, under the leadership of president and CEO Zane Moore.
Moore, who lives in Newtown, came to the area in 2011 to run what was then the Lower Bucks Family YMCA. He has since helped oversee a series of mergers. By 2019, the Lower Bucks Family YMCA had joined forces with the Central Bucks and Upper Bucks YMCAs. In April 2022, the YMCA of Bucks County merged with Hunterdon County YMCA.
Following the late-August departure of Greater Valley YMCA chief David Fagerstrom, Moore has been in charge of the Northampton/Lehigh organization under a management agreement designed to give the associations time to explore a potential merger.
“As one YMCA, we truly are stronger together, committed to building upon the excellence of over 100 years of service to our local communities,” said Moore in a statement issued Friday. “Our members and participants will benefit from strengths and talents from both organizations with a greater variety of high-quality programs. Coming together also allows us to expand the reach of our mission-driven services and community impact. The leaders from both Ys are as excited as I am to begin this work together as one association.”
After the transition, members will be able to access programming and amenities at all 12 branches — five in Bucks, one in Hunterdon, four in Northampton and two in Lehigh.
In addition to the branches, it will feature 13 early childhood centers, 20 summer camp locations and 37 school-age child care programs.
According to the statement, the combined organization reports $55 million in revenue, 2,000 employees and 142,000 members and participants. It also boasts more than $12 million in annual “charitable community impact” — financial assistance to individuals and families in need plus free programming for veterans, cancer survivors and older adults.
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