Community Organizations

Essex and the wider Cape Ann are served by a network of non-profits that keep the town’s history, protect its land and marshes, and help feed and support residents. These are some of the largest and most established, and every one of them takes volunteers.

Non-Profit Organizations

Organization	What they do & contact
Essex Shipbuilding Museum	Run by the Essex Historical Society, founded in 1937, the museum on Main Street restores and interprets the schooners and boats built on the Essex River.
Essex County Greenbelt Association	A land trust headquartered in Essex that conserves farmland, wildlife habitat, and scenic landscapes across Essex County and keeps them open to the public.
Manchester Essex Conservation Trust	A local land trust that protects open space and maintains public hiking trails across Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea.
The Open Door	A Cape Ann food-security nonprofit whose service area includes Essex, with grocery programs, meals for children, and help applying for SNAP.
Cape Ann YMCA	Part of the YMCA of the North Shore, the Cape Ann branch in Gloucester offers swim lessons, fitness, childcare, camps, and senior programs to Cape Ann residents including Essex.

Town & Senior Resources

Organization	Notes
Essex Council on Aging	The Essex Senior Center at 17 Pickering Street, with outreach and programs for older residents. Director Tess Leary. 978-768-7932.
T.O.H.P. Burnham Library	Free programs, computers, and a card that works at libraries across Massachusetts. Director Carla Christensen. 978-768-7410.

For current hours and a fuller list, see the town’s community pages at essexma.org.

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