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Date: 3/8/2022
EASTHAMPTON – On March 1, state Sen. John Velis presented $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to the Treehouse Foundation in Easthampton, an intergenerational neighborhood where adoptive families and their children, older youth, and elders “invest in one another’s health, dreams and futures.”
The grant money was allocated as an earmark under the recent $4 billion spending bill for the federal money that was awarded to Massachusetts. In attendance for the presentation were Velis, state Rep. Dan Carey, Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan, Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, Treehouse founder and Executive Director Judy Cockerton, officials from the Treehouse Foundation, and members of the Treehouse community.
The goal of the money, according to Cockerton, is to assist Treehouse in establishing two additional outcome-based, multi-cultural, Treehouse intergenerational communities in Massachusetts.
“We can now expand across the state of Massachusetts, and really lift up more kids who have experienced foster care; many more adults and parents … and older adults,” said Cockerton, when speaking on the Treehouse vision. “Our vision is ‘every child rooted in permanent, loving family and community.’”
The Treehouse Community opened in 2006 under a model where three generations live together at the 1 Treehouse Circle neighborhood, enhancing each other’s lives in the process. Children, youth, and families receive support and services to address the educational and emotional challenges often caused by early neglect, abuse and trauma. Older adults, meanwhile, become “honorary grandparents,” sharing their talents, time, wisdom and love.
Sixteen years and multiple national awards later, Treehouse is now also making an impact in the Boston MetroWest area, where they are partnering with Plummer Youth Promise and 2Life Communities, a nonprofit affordable housing developer, to bring this model to more youth, families and elderly across the commonwealth.
According to Cockerton, the numbers over the last 15 years have proved that this model is effective. The high school graduation rate is 95 percent compared to the national average of 58 percent for children in foster care. One hundred percent of high school graduates have attended college, and there have been zero failed placements at Treehouse, as well as zero arrests.
“We have seen how this model works,” said Cockerton, who is also a foster/adoptive parent and educator. “The kids are thriving, and their families are thriving…what’s really been exciting is, as young people go out into the world, they are now giving back to their communities.”
Velis said that he pushed for statewide support and funding for Treehouse after walking through the neighborhood last summer and seeing the positive impact that the community had on the three generations of people that lived there. “To see it is to believe it, and we saw it,” said Velis, when speaking on the neighborhood’s impact. “I love this concept.”
Currently, the neighborhood contains 48 cottages for seniors and 12 homes designed to support families who are fostering and adopting children from the public care system in Easthampton. Since June 2006, over 115 people have been living, working and playing in Treehouse Circle ranging in age from birth to 95.
LaChapelle recalls Cockerton approaching the Zoning Board of Appeals-when LaChapelle was a part of the board-to pitch the concept. At first, LaChapelle and the board was confused about the idea, and noted how there was initial pushback.
“I think about that so long ago, and where we are now in Easthampton, and the evolution,” said LaChapelle, adding that she has gotten to know some of the children at Treehouse who have gone through the Easthampton Public School system and made a positive impact in the community – including one person who went on to open one of the most celebrated jazz lounges in Springfield, and another who received a scholarship to architecture school.
“All of these people always talk about coming back to Treehouse because it is their safe place, their home, and they don’t know where they would be without it,” LaChapelle added.
Rosa Young, a longtime Treehouse resident of 15 years, explained during the presentation what the foundation means to her personally. She said that she heard a story about Treehouse while listening to National Public Radio and driving her RV in Michigan. After hearing about the benefits Treehouse could offer, Young packed up and drove to Easthampton.
According to Young, the community was an integral part of her life while undergoing chemotherapy, as she would play Scrabble with the children and enjoy baked goods courtesy of her neighbors. She said that she connected with a family of five and became so entrenched with the family that they started calling her ‘grandma.’ “It’s been a wonderful journey,” said Young. “The staff were very sensitive about including everybody. I personally have felt very valued here.”
Holly Handfield, meanwhile, joined Treehouse when she retired and wanted to be “useful.” “When I heard about Treehouse, I said, ‘this is going to be my place,’” said Handfield, adding that Treehouse has been a godsend. “The [foster care] system doesn’t understand trauma, and trauma is the biggest thing that stops us from having any normalcy in our lives.”