YMCA Of The North Shore Raises $1.5 Million At Wanderlust Ball Gala

PEABODY, MA — The YMCA of the North Shore raised more than $1.5 for its new mental wellness initiative during its recent annual Wanderlust Ball gala.

More than 400 guests attended the gala, held in partnership with AE Events of Boston at the Greater Beverly YMCA. Proceeds from the night of dinner, dancing and a program highlighting the impact of the YMCA on its 25 communities served went toward the Y's mental health initiative "ONEDOOR: A Path to Mental Wellness."

Ipswich residents Courtney Kagan and Mark Kagan were the honorary chairs for the event.

"We are incredibly grateful to our Honorary Chairs, Courtney and Mark Kagan, who gave generously to support this transformative program for children, adults, and families," YMCA of the North Shore CEO Chris Lovasco said. "With the addition of an experienced leader in the mental wellness space to our Y staff, along with our existing dedicated team already focused on the importance of mental wellness, we are poised to expand our commitment to mental wellness and meet this need like never before."

Executive Director of Mental Wellness Ranjeev Benjamin will help develop a department infrastructure to enable a consultive partnership with McLean Hospital of Belmont.

"Once again, our gala is a true testament to the power of community and coming together to support our neighbors on the North Shore and in southern New Hampshire," Marge Cregg, Chief Advancement Officer, YMCA of the North Shore said. "With the unwavering philanthropic spirit of our Y friends, we can continue to create innovative programs like ONEDOOR to actively address the issues we all face today."

This funding will also help the Y support the ever-growing and diverse needs of all the individuals, families, and children the Y serves.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)