Transgender Resource, Education and Enrichment Services (TREES Inc.) is a left-of-center transgender education and advocacy organization located in South Bend, Indiana. TREES Inc. primarily conducts pro-transgender education programming in Midwest rural communities with populations under 25,000 in to promote acceptance of transgender ideology and to connect gender-confused youth with pro-transgender resources.

Founding and History

Transgender Resource, Education and Enrichment Services was founded in 2015 in South Bend, Indiana, ostensibly to prevent what it called a “rash of transgender suicides and murders.” TREES Inc. has a particular focus on expanding transgender activism in rural areas and small towns. ¹

Activities

Transgender Resources, Education and Enrichment Services bills itself as a “mobile education entity” that conducts transgender advocacy efforts on towns and rural communities with under 25,000 people. ² Within those communities, TREES Inc. disseminates pro-transgender resources and conducts public events with speakers, slide shows, and discussions to promote transgender inclusion and to provide pro-transgender resources to those within rural communities experiencing gender confusion. ²

Upon its founding in 2015, TREES Inc. set a goal to conduct 50 pro-transgender programming sessions in rural communities its first year, increasing the number of presentations by 5% each year for the next five years. ² In 2016, founder and board president Meghan Buell travelled over 13,000 miles through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio to conduct transgender programming in those states. ³

TREES Inc. also offers more specific, tailored training to pro-transgender community organizations upon request. ²

Beyond its mobile, rural, pro-transgender programming, TREES Inc. also created what it calls the Tree House, a pro-LGBT community workspace on Main Street in downtown South Bend, Indiana. ⁴

While its calendar of events was previously filled with activities and programming on nearly a weekly basis from its founding in 2015, TREES Inc.’s programming declined significantly beginning in December 2019. From that point for the next several years, TREES Inc. primarily hosted events only during June Pride Month commemorations each year. ⁵

Affiliations

Transgender Resources, Education and Enrichment Services is a member of CenterLink, a nonprofit that oversees 270 community centers for individuals who identify as LGBT. ¹ CenterLink has many major financial backers, including Comcast, Proctor and Gamble, Progressive insurance, and the Tides Foundation. ⁶

People

Transgender Resources, Education and Enrichment Services was founded by Meghan Buell, its board president. ⁷ Buell grew up in a small town in Indiana and transitioned to identify as a transgender woman. ³ Buell believes that transgender people in rural America are constantly at risk of being killed, which prompted her to found TREES Inc. ³

Outside of working as the president of the board of TREES Inc., Buell is also a substitute teacher. ³

Before founding TREES Inc., Buell was a self-employed diversity trainer certified by Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, and advocacy organization for LGBT interests in the professional environment based in Oakland, California. ⁸ Buell also worked as the executive director and the youth group coordinator of GLBT Resource Center of Michiana, an LGBT organization in South Bend, Indiana. ⁸

1. “About Us.” Transgender Resource, Education and Enrichment Services. Accessed June 26, 2023. https://www.webetrees.org/aboutus.
2. “Our Story.” Transgender Resource, Education and Enrichment Services. Accessed June 26, 2023. https://www.webetrees.org/our-story.
3. Bruxvoort, Ash. “Meghan Buell Brings Transgender education to Rural Communities.” Women Food & Ag Network. December 28, 2017. Accessed June 26, 2023.  https://wfan.org/news/meghan-buell-brings-transgender-education-rural-communities.
4. “The Tree House.” Transgender Resource, Education and Enrichment Services. Accessed June 26, 2023. https://www.webetrees.org/the-tree-house.
5. “Events.” Transgender Resource, Education and Enrichment Service.” Accessed June 26, 2023. https://www.webetrees.org/events?view=calendar&month=06-2023
6. “Partners.” CenterLink, Accessed June 23, 2026. https://www.lgbtqcenters.org/AboutUs/Partners.
7. “Board.” Transgender Resource, Education and Enrichment Service.” Accessed June 26, 2023. https://www.webetrees.org/board.
8. “Meghan Buell.” LinkedIn. Accessed Jun 26, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-buell-she-her-0a158815/