Roots for the Future

“Thank you, Diana. It is an honor to have your wisdom and your history in the room with us. You’ve shown us the landscape

Now, I want to talk about how we intend to build within it.

Kai shared our ‘Why’. The stories that brought us here. My role as Chair is to look at our ‘Where to next.’

In my day to day work, working with big energy companies on the energy transition, we often talk about the concept of ‘Just Transition’. This is the global shift toward a greener, more sustainable world. But a transition is only ‘just’ if no one is left behind in the process. 

At Treehouse, we believe that individual resilience is the bedrock of societal change. When an artist finds their stability, when a refugee finds their voice, or when a family recovers from systemic debt, that is where the transition becomes real.

The Vision & The Ask 

Kai has laid out our purpose and our vision, which is also our commitment to the communities making Amsterdam the vibrant and thriving city that it is.

But vision requires fuel. To reach our targets for 2026, we are looking for partners.

• To the funders here today: Help us build a foundation that is as sturdy as an oak.
• To the organizations: Let’s collaborate to reach the people who need us most.
• To the coaches: Help us grow our capacity to serve.

We are building a community where coaching is not a luxury, but accessible to those who could benefit from it the most.

If you are inspired by what you’ve heard today and want to help us grow, I’d like to point you to our Treasurer, Auke. He is here today to facilitate donations and can tell you exactly how your contribution will directly impact our target groups. Whether it’s a one-time gift or a long-term partnership, your support is what turns our vision into reality.

The Gratitude (The Thank-Yous) 

Before we transition to the magic of this evening – the connections that make up the roots of community, I must acknowledge the ecosystem that made this launch possible. On behalf of the Board, I want to extend our deepest thanks to:

• Carolyn Wever and CWCS Relatiemanagement en Filantropie, for your invaluable guidance in navigating the world of giving.
• Dennis Overeem and Stichting Buddy Productions. Your work putting the spotlight on refugees and newcomers in film is an inspiration, and we are so proud of our shared vision.
• Ipek Sur at 7Hills Foundation, for your creative input and the guidance that helped shape our identity.
• Esther Apituley at Stichting Violaviola, for the beautiful introduction and your constant support.
• NOBCO/EMCC and the Association for Coaching, for your help in getting our word out to the professional community.
• Veenhof Notariaat—our ‘Regenboognotaris’. Thank you for your support of diverse families and for helping us get our legal roots right.
• Monk Dagelet, for creating our stunning Tree of Wishes that you see here today.
• Our Advisory Circle: Diana Whitmore, Rixt Kuipers, and Nosrat Tanha. Your expertise is our North Star.
• Our volunteers: Rozenn, Vinayak, and Gino. You have worked tirelessly behind the scenes. We see you, and we thank you.
• And finally, to Nirvana Flier and the crew here at De Vondeltuin for hosting us in this beautiful green heart of Amsterdam.

The Closing 

And of course, to all our friends, families, and supporters: you are the soil in which this tree grows.

On behalf of the entire board—Charlie, Luuk, Auke, Kai, and myself—a heartfelt thank you for being here. 

In a moment, I will add my ‘leaf’ to the tree, symbolizing my own wish for this foundation. I invite you all to do the same throughout the evening.

But first, let’s let the music speak. Please join me in welcoming back Daniel de Putter, who will be providing our soundtrack for the rest of the night.

Thank you all. Let’s build something beautiful.”

This speech was given by Charlotte Blommestijn at the Stichting Treehouse Coaching Launch Event on May 15th, 2026.