Why Treetops Collective?

This post was initially inspired by our 30 Days of Action campaign that started January 20, 2021. Read the partner blog that posed the following questions here.

If you are new to Treetops Collective, this is a great place to start! You’ll learn the why, what, and how of our work, and how you can be a part of it!.

What are your mission, vision, and values?

Mission:

We are a cross-cultural movement that connects with and invests in New American 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.

Values:

• Posture of Listening: We listen with empathy knowing that each person is the expert of their own experience, building trust along the way.
• Cross-Cultural Connection: We respect, learn from and celebrate cultures and the differences between them as we walk in close proximity through friendship.
• Creativity: We innately embody creativity, so we purpose to design solutions with a hopeful imagination for things not yet realized and the community we dream of.
• Celebration: We choose to celebrate and find joy in the gifts of today while collectively working toward a better tomorrow.
• Wholeness: We invite each neighbor to come with their whole selves, and commit to honoring and giving space to grow in body, soul, spirit and community with others.
• Radical Welcome:  We seek to go beyond hospitality and seek mutuality, as we meet new friends where they're at in their journey, and foster spaces that lead to true belonging.  
• Redemptive Influence: We have a confident expectation that even the pain of our stories can bring about beauty and change in this world.

What programs do you run and how do they align with your mission? How do you define success and evaluate your programs?

Treetops Collective works with women and teen girls that have immigrated to the U.S. and are working to make West Michigan home. Our programs are designed to support dynamic leaders as they rebuild social and economic capital. We partner with individuals, families, organizations, businesses and faith communities that share our vision for communities in which everyone has the opportunity to utilize their gifts and find true belonging.

Our 2021 plans include the following programs:

Concentric

Concentric invests in New American leaders as they make West Michigan home and transform communities to be more responsive and welcoming to refugees and immigrants. This program is designed to multiply the impact of existing New American leaders throughout West Michigan as they work to close the gap between New American communities and local resources through referrals, regular and individualized member care, and strengthening peer and cross-cultural relationships. 

The Concentric women’s group launched with eight leaders on January 11 and we expect to launch the Concentric teen group with four young adult leaders in July, 2021. The women’s group will have the capacity to increase our annual reach from 20 families to 160 families. Within the teen program we expect to reach around 40 teens, a deliberate increase from the 23 teens currently in the Sister Circles program that continues our prioritization of individual program member needs.   

Market-Based Solutions - Our Retail Line

The Treetops Collective store highlights the gifts and skills of New American makers, equips our supporters to share messages of welcome and is a one-stop shop for gifts! Your support employs New American creatives and raises awareness for the work of Treetops Collective.

Market-Based Solutions - Teen Enterprise Internship

Treetops Collective’s Teen Enterprise Internship employs cohorts of New American teens for 10 weeks at a time as they develop a new product for our social enterprise from conception through design to production and promotion. The internship curriculum includes developing a resume, practice in going through a job application and interview process, as well as soft skills training such as marketing and storytelling. You can view and purchase past internship products in the Treetops Collective online store!

Market-Based Solutions - Workforce Development

Our wholesale and custom work offerings provide creative work opportunities to New Americans in West Michigan. Your support - both financial and of materials - offer flexible and in-home work to skilled artists throughout the community. Work by Treetops Collective makers can be found at local, women-owned businesses like Solstice Handmade and Stoffer Home.

Who is on your Board of Directors and how often do they meet? Are there additional committees of the board that provide additional support and oversight for the organization?

An updated list of our Board of Directors is kept on our website on the “Who We Are” page. Our board typically meets monthly with occasional breaks for holiday seasons.

We currently have active board committees for Finance, Human Resources, and Fund Development. These committees also meet at least once every two months and provide oversight and support to our operations in these three areas.

If you have specific questions for the Board of Directors you can contact our board president at board@treetopscollective.org. 

What financial information do you have available to the public?

Our annual audited financial statements and forms 990 are available by emailing giving@treetopscollective.org or by visiting Guidestar.org and searching for Treetops Collective (you may need to register for a free account to view and download all available documents).

How would my donation make a difference?

Gifts to Treetops Collective are direct investments in New American women and teen girls. Your support can provide workshops and training to the eight women leaders in the Concentric program. Your contribution can build cross-cultural relationships that open our eyes and challenge our narratives about the world and our place in it. Your gifts can connect families to the resources they need to overcome barriers or use their skills to sink their roots down deep in their new communities. Your partnership can provide income-generating opportunities for women and teens with creative gifts through our market-based solutions program. Your donation has the potential to transform West Michigan communities.