Treetops Collective breaks barrier for $2.5M community center

Treetops Collective breaks barrier for $2.5M community center
<strong> Courtesy Treetops Collective </strong>

A Grand Rapids nonprofit that serves New Americans reached a milestone in the renovation of its new cross-cultural gathering space. 

Treetops Collective’s leadership team, families and partner agencies gathered Thursday, Nov. 17, to break the last wall in its building renovation at 906 S. Division Ave. 

The renovation is part of a $2.5 million cross-cultural community center project by the nonprofit, with the goal of creating a space for New Americans to “fully realize the ability to connect with others, reclaim their cultural identities (and) live vibrantly in community with people across a spectrum of experience,” according to a statement from Treetops. 

The planned center will house an event space, child care area, teaching kitchen, co-working offices for local organizations and entrepreneurs, retail space for promoting refugee-made goods, and a business incubation space for New American entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Treetops is raising funds for the continued renovation project, which currently needs to raise $612,000 for completion and another $550,000 to utilize the space. 

Thursday’s “Wall Breaking” ceremony was one of the last steps in demolition, paving the way for renovations to begin in earnest and bringing Treetops Collective one step closer to its goal. 

“It is thrilling to watch walls come down so that people can come together,” said Tarah Carnahan, executive director and co-founder of Treetops Collective. “We know that we can better activate and celebrate the gifts and talents of New American communities by restoring our historic downtown building.”

The organization collaborates with local organizations including Kent ISD, Kent District Library, the Literacy Center of West Michigan and Safe Haven Ministries, offering vaccine clinics, workshops, therapy groups and driver’s training for refugee women in West Michigan.