What is Treetops?

Mission

Treetops Collective is a cross-cultural movement that connects with and invests in New American (refugee) women leaders, together transforming our communities into places of belonging.

Vision

We imagine a world where any person who has experienced the pain of displacement finds a community where they can live a vibrant, whole life in connection with their neighbors.

Our Why

Imagine leaving the comfort of your home to move halfway around the world — where everything is new. You’d quickly realize how much of your identity had been rooted in the confidence you drew simply from being known and connected to a place.

Through our holistic, relational model, Treetops Collective is providing opportunities for refugee women and teen girls to find their place in West Michigan, reclaim their identity, and build new relationships.

We Build Social Fabric

Every person needs a place to belong — and when you find your place, you discover community, identity, and support. At Treetops, we focus specifically on three key areas of relationships: Between refugee women, between refugee women and non-refugee women, and between refugee women and our city’s institutions and systems.

We Invest in Leaders

The courage and resilience refugee women and teen girls have developed because of their unique experiences make them compassionate and effective leaders. Treetops programming works essentially as a pipeline to inspire New American female leadership.

We Create a More Welcoming Community

We are changing the narrative around refugees by sharing stories about the gifts New Americans bring to their new communities and providing opportunities for residents of Grand Rapids to meet and learn from their newest neighbors.

Our Programs

Concentric

A cohort-style leadership multiplier program partnering with New American women and teen girls as they navigate new systems and pursue the goals they have set for themselves.

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Teen Programs

Through either Teen Concentric or Teen Enterprise, we recognize that New American youth are not only the future but are stepping up to lead their communities today.

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Collective Care

Community transformation requires collective action. Through our Collective Care program we mobilize community members to bridge gaps to local resources and facilitate peer support groups.

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"We Are the Women" T Black"Spread Welcome" Tote"Find Your Voice" JournalWoman Life Freedom Rally T-Shirt"We Are the Women" Crewneck

Social Enterprise

#SPREADWELCOME

Our collection of inspirational products tell the stories of the refugee women and teen girls who designed and created them.

TEEN MADE GIFTS

Get involved!

Choose Welcome

Walk alongside New Americans in their journey to make West Michigan home.

LEARN HOW

Frequently Asked Questions

Treetops Collective is a cross-cultural movement that connects with and invests in New American women leaders, together transforming our communities into places of belonging.

Our programming includes leadership development in refugee communities, mental health care support, teen programming, and social enterprise. We also serve as a resource connector between organizations in Grand Rapids and the refugee communities and leaders.

Through relationship and conversations with refugee women in Grand Rapids, we learned that women have specific and additional challenges when resettling versus their male counterparts. Just a few of those extra challenges include driving, pregnancy and childcare, isolation, and education.

Yes! New American adults of any gender are welcome to participate in the Collective Care and Circles of Support programs.

This program is specifically for adults. A teen program is currently being developed.

We couldn't do our work without the help of amazing volunteers! Please visit https://treetopscollective.galaxydigital.com/ to see what volunteer opportunities are currently available or email us at volunteer@treetopscollective.org

One of the simplest ways to support our work is to donate here.

There are also many ways to contribute the gift of time and talents to our programming and community space on a monthly or one-time basis. You can also volunteer (see above) or apply for a job opening.

Please visit The 906 webpage for more information about how to rent the space!