Tree ARMY, a husband-and-wife small business based in Bronx, NY, is the latest recipient of financial assistance from Citizens, part of a longstanding partnership with Military Warriors Support Foundation (MWSF). Known for their contributions to the veteran community as well as their bright green and black camouflage trucks, Nick and Joelle Lynch are also veterans themselves with a heartwarming back story.
It begins in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, where Nick and Joelle were both raised. The couple’s deep connection to the area, and the assistance they provide to the community by employing veterans and their families, is what drives them forward. Giving back to these individuals, many of whom are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, is truly at the heart of what Tree ARMY’s mission is all about. With some nurturing and positive impact from Citizens, the opportunities for expanding its roots — to help support even more veterans be ready for the best possible tomorrow — are endless.
This year, in collaboration with MWSF, Citizens is providing Tree ARMY with a mini skid steer with a grapple attachment. This type of construction vehicle provides the opportunity for veterans Tree ARMY has hired, who are physically unable to climb trees, to use the attachment to reach high branches. The machinery will also increase efficiency and production. In addition, Tree ARMY will receive $5,000 for a meal delivery service, arborist helmets for its team, communications equipment, as well as $10,000 to use toward additional business necessities. To further support the Lynch’s long-term success, they will also be provided with one year of financial literacy training with a MWSF mentor to help manage their personal finances, in addition to a Citizens business banking mentor to help them create a solid foundation for their future. This is not the first time Citizens has sponsored a family to receive this vital mentoring. Previous families sponsored in the financial literacy program have obtained the financial knowledge to pay off well over half a million dollars in debt. Nick says the mentoring will help him and Joelle navigate the complexities of managing a company. Most importantly, it will give them confidence, as well as some room to breathe and recharge.
From seed to blossoming tree
Tree ARMY has evolved from humble beginnings. “This company was started from a chainsaw we bought at Lowe’s on a credit card we maxed out,” says Joelle. “Within six months we had our first truck.”
She feels watching the business grow from a tiny seed has been nothing short of remarkable. Ten years and 17 trucks later, the company now services all five NYC boroughs with its arbor services. The company believes in making positive change from the ground up, and often won’t take down a tree unless it’s necessary. In addition, the company donates hard woods to veterans to heat their homes, gives mulch to local NYC community gardens and provides volunteer services.
Finding peace amongst nature
Though Nick and Joelle didn’t grow up climbing trees, the skills they acquired in the Army are transferrable to operating Tree ARMY as adults: preservation, climbing to great heights, and teaming up with others. Nick served as a first-class U.S. Army Sergeant between 1998 and 2018, during which time he was trained to clear large trees from Army properties. Joelle enlisted in 2005 as a Communication Non-Commissioned Officer and was honorably discharged in 2016. She worked in the Army Signal Corps, a branch that creates and manages communications and information systems. As part of her duties, she was often climbing up high, which she enjoyed. Nick also liked climbing and tree work so much that he expanded his knowledge by becoming an arborist and founded Tree ARMY.
When they both retired from the military, the Lynches sought a quieter life. They explored jobs close to home, wanting to raise their children in the Bronx. According to Joelle, Tree ARMY was a “breath of fresh air” and a beautiful next step for her family. She added that creating job opportunities was a way to give back to those they had trained and served. An added benefit? Nick found being out in nature to be therapeutic as he struggled with his mental health. “I was dealing with a large amount of post-traumatic stress disorder,” he recounts. “I realized just how calming it was.”
Nick started out gradually, first on weekends. Suddenly, the part-time income started paying for the phone bill and purchasing trucks. Nick wanted others to reap the monetary and mental health benefits that he was experiencing, so he began recruiting his veteran friends and hasn’t looked back since.
Guiding vets to a brighter future
Tree ARMY helps veterans, including those struggling with PTSD, reintegrate into their community by giving them a sense of purpose, a feeling of self-worth and a mission. Nick provides career and life counseling informally and has been known to walk a veteran over to the local Veterans Affairs office to help them file for benefits or seek help.
The Lynches also offer time off of work for mental health therapy, during times when employees hit a rough patch. It’s Tree ARMY’s unique, empathetic business model that makes caring for employees possible. According to Joelle, Tree ARMY gives those who have served our country a job, a network of other like-minded veterans, and connections to the community. She points to the stigma still surrounding veterans seeking mental health help, and why it’s so pertinent that her company gives employees the time and space needed to heal. She says, “If you need to take a day off because something is a trigger for your PTSD, we understand. You’re going to do it stigma-free. You’re going to do it without feeling like you’re broken.”
Relieving pressure for this hard-working couple
As their business grew, the Lynches began to feel the strain of operating a business while taking care of their five small children. Nick says, “In New York, our largest bill is for food. We try to buy in bulk. But someone’s always needing sneakers.”
The meal delivery service, gifted to them from Citizens, will enable the couple to spend more quality time at home with the family, instead of making shopping trips. And that year of financial mentoring? Nick says he will apply that knowledge to getting the books in order for Tree ARMY. He says, “Coming from the military, it’s real easy. You’ve got a team; you’ve got a technical manual. It tells you exactly how to do it, but the IRS doesn’t give you that.”
On the front lines of building up the Bronx community
Nothing can stop Joelle and Nick, or their passion for the Bronx and its people. They have paid for their own materials to spruce up nearby Vinmont Veteran Park in Riverdale, including the restoration of its American flag. Tree ARMY cleared out the pines and Joelle spent several days up in the bucket truck sanding the flagpole, repainting it, and polishing the brass. She says that the refurbished flag was hoisted for the first time in more than 40 years. Even at the height of COVID-19, the entire community turned out for this activity, one of the first veteran-centric events ever held in Riverdale.
In addition to tree services, Tree ARMY partners with local causes such as the Jericho Project, which helps homeless veterans find housing. To further their environmental efforts, Tree ARMY also works with a local bee company to revive the bee population and make honey for local residents. The couple has been actively involved with many natural disasters, including spending seven months helping with restoration after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017.
Citizens and MWSF: Paired up for the greater good
It seems there is no height the Lynches can’t climb, or mission they can’t accomplish. And now Citizens, along with MWSF, is proud to give back to Nick and Joelle, as they’ve given so much of themselves to this country — and to others.
In 2022, Citizens launched the Hope4Heroes program with the Military Warriors Support Foundation specifically designed to mentor and provide support for small, veteran-owned businesses in the Bronx. The program continues Citizens’ longstanding commitment to fostering neighborhood revitalization, small business support and economic development. It aligns with Citizens’ commitment to financial empowerment giving people the confidence and tools they need to reach their full potential.
Proud to give back to those who give so much
Citizens has partnered with the Military Warriors Support Foundation for nearly a decade. Citizens recognizes and values the extraordinary skills and unique perspectives that veterans and service members bring to careers outside of the military. Over the years, Citizens has provided newly renovated, mortgage-free homes, payment-free hybrid vehicles and additional support for veterans and Gold Star spouses.
For more information about our involvement with Military Warriors Support Foundation, visit here.
www.citizensbank.com
https://www.citizensbank.com/community/tree-army-helping-veterans.aspx
