Dr. Estevan Garcia Takes Helm of Treehouse Foundation Board of Directors

EASTHAMPTON — Five Hampshire County residents have joined the board of the Treehouse Foundation, the nonprofit that supports children and youth who have experienced foster care, their foster adoptive families, and older adults who live at the intergenerational Treehouse Community.

The Treehouse Foundation, celebrating 14 years of breaking ground on its planned neighborhood in Easthampton, announced that Dr. Estevan Garcia, who joined the board last year, will serve as board president. He is an adoptive foster parent with experience in the New York and Washington child-welfare systems. Additionally, four of his own siblings were adopted, three from the foster care system.

“I’m especially inspired by the intergenerational approach to raising a family,” he said. “Children in foster care are at significant risk at underachieving, as I’ve seen in my own family. The supportive environment at Treehouse is so important to both groups.”

Pete Crisafulli, a Realtor with Taylor Realty, also joins the board. Prior to joining the real-estate firm, he spent many years working to protect children. He was the Western Mass. director of MSPCC KidsNet and later worked in the Frontier Regional School district, becoming the assistant principal of Deerfield Elementary School and later the principal at Whately Elementary School for nine years.

“I’m honored to serve on the board of Treehouse because it will allow me to join a group of like-minded advocates,” he noted.

Since 2006, Treehouse Easthampton has been home to more than 100 community members, ranging in age from newborns to age 92. This neighborhood, where families adopting children from foster care live next door to seniors, is a hub of foster care, adoption, housing, and aging innovation for the region and the nation. In addition to serving children, youth, families, and elders throughout the region, Treehouse is replicating its affordable, intentional neighboring model in MetroWest Boston and Northern California. Treehouse was named nonprofit of the year last year by the Easthampton Chamber of Commerce, and has won numerous national awards.