Those who enter Treetops Collective’s Grand Rapids headquarters are immediately met with a feeling of welcome and warmth.

Velvety couches and chairs, golden chandeliers, communal seating, and thriving plant life fill the space. The scent of brewing coffee or chai fills the air.

While most of the visitors speak different languages, the message is clear: Welcome.

The woman who designed the space, a refugee from Bosnia, created it with a clear audience in mind: newcomers to the United States who don’t yet know English, have limited resources, and lack community connections.

“I wanted something warm and feminine, as well as worldly or global, yet not representing one particular culture,” said Tarah Carnahan, Treetops Collective’s cofounder and executive director, who worked with the designer in creating the space. The overarching goal, Carnahan noted, was to convey that “they can step into this place and feel like things would be OK.”

The welcoming, supportive atmosphere reflects Treetop Collective’s mission. The nonprofit equips refugee and immigrant girls and women with the skills and connections to thrive in this country, surrounding them with support.

Participants at Treetops lead the way. They identify their own goals while building the skills and networks they need to thrive. This could include things like getting a driver’s license and overcoming language barriers.

The organization operates differently from traditional charity or government models.

“We’re not a service provider,” said Carnahan. Instead of a system where help flows in one direction, Treetops Collective fosters mutual support, where all participants help each other.

The nonprofit recognizes that every individual — whether someone newly arrived in the country or someone who has lived here for decades — has valuable knowledge and experience to offer. Treetop’s radical, open-armed welcome helps to create a community where everyone can flourish.

In particular, as the new American women and teens gain confidence and develop their talents, they increasingly give back. They provide innovative solutions, bridge gaps, celebrate others, and enrich the lives around them.

Carnahan and fellow cofounder Dana Doll wanted to create an asset-based program that honors the strengths and skills of participants instead of focusing on what they lack.

“Treetops is focused on growth,” said Carnahan. “We give women and girls the chance to grow their skills and networks and to grow as leaders.”

A seed of an idea has helped hundreds

The seeds for Treetops Collective were planted more than a decade ago, when Carnahan, then a new mom, struggled to find a sense of belonging in the Grand Rapids community.

“I was feeling a sense of lostness,” she recalled. “Someone introduced me to a Congolese woman who was also a newcomer, but in a different way. She had come as a refugee, and we both were longing for connectedness.”

Though they had different backgrounds, the two women quickly formed a close bond. Carnahan helped Veronique with tasks like getting a driver’s license and navigating grocery stores, and even helped her through the car-buying process. Veronique, a mom herself, offered friendship, helpful insights, and support.

Carnahan, who previously lived in Paraguay and started a small social enterprise with women there, had an idea: Could this model of mutual support be scaled to a community level?

“I thought, ‘How do we create more opportunities for people to connect cross-culturally, and develop these friendships? How can we introduce people who wouldn’t meet otherwise?’” she said.

Carnahan reached out to Dana Doll, whom she had met at a local gift shop where Doll was selling baby clothes made in partnership with refugee women. The two began to brainstorm, and in 2016, they launched Treetops Collective.

True to its name, the nonprofit has branched out in the years since, serving hundreds of women while remaining rooted in its original mission: to foster mutual, dignified relationships that strengthen communities.

“We want to make sure that people have a sense that their voice matters, that they have choices in their new life here, and that they don’t have to do this alone,” Carnahan explained. “We want them to know that there’s a community of people who see them, will listen to them, and want to walk alongside them.”

Support that branches across the community

In the United States, traditional refugee support typically ends after just 90 days, according to Carnahan. Carnahan said caseworkers often manage heavy workloads and have limited resources, which can make sustainable, personalized care difficult to establish.

Instead, Treetops Collectives offers longer-term individualized support based on each person’s unique situation. It allows participants to build cross-cultural connections and receive support that honors their backgrounds.

Its Concentric Program trains women as leaders who can assist others from similar language and cultural backgrounds, and participants also support each other. The program itself was codeveloped with past participants, ensuring it reflects the lived experience and priorities of the women it serves. The program runs for 12 months and includes both one-on-one and group sessions focused on topics such as financial literacy, mental health, education, and career development. Each leader is a graduate of the program, works about 10 hours a week, and receives compensation for their time. Treetops Collective also has a similar nine-month program for teens.

The program facilitates “intentional friendships” of nine months that pair newly arrived women with established community members. The community members provide companionship and show the newcomers the ropes.

Helping empathy and understanding to flourish

Treetops Collective’s work doesn’t just improve the lives of individuals; it uplifts families and communities as people learn from each other.

For instance, 88% of adult members reported that after they completed Concentric, they could use their own experiences to support others.

The model shows how any community member around the country can make a difference, starting with something as simple as befriending someone new in their neighborhood.

“We really believe in starting where your feet are planted, working in your local context where you can connect with others and create the kind of community many of us long for,” Carnahan said.

As those connections deepen, so does empathy and understanding.

When the so-called “other” becomes a friend, “you can’t stereotype anymore. It changes the way we see people,” she added. “And I have a deep desire to help change our culture and help us to celebrate people who are different from us.”

Treetops Collective is supported by Stand Together Foundation, which empowers individuals to reach their full potential through community-driven change.

Learn more about Stand Together's efforts to build strong and safe communities and explore ways you can partner with us.