‘Square Roots Collective’ strengthening the fabric of Kennett

This Letter to the Editor was published in the Chester County Daily Local on June 11, 2024.

By Joan Holliday

Kennett Square has many stories to tell about caring, community-minded people, who make the town a better place. Mike Bontrager and team stand out as an exceptional story that is making a difference through their non-profit Square Roots Collective (SRC).

Square Roots Collective had its beginning over 30 years ago when Dot and Mike Bontrager moved to Kennett Square area to launch Chatham Financial, a financial derivatives advisory and technology company.

Chatham was built as a different kind of finance company that put the trust of its clients and employees ahead of profit, creating a culture that encouraged their clients and employees to thrive. Today, Chatham has grown immensely, becoming the largest private employer in the area, and is working with some of the largest companies around the world.

Chatham’s company culture of working toward opportunities for everyone to thrive is now being lived out in Square Roots Collective non-profit. Luke Zubrod, Chief of Staff of SRC says in an interview, “Our name reflects our dedication to the Kennett Square area and the holistic, partnership-oriented approach to community betterment. We want to see Kennett become a place that everyone wants to live and where a diversity of people can live.”

Square Roots Collective started from looking at the town systemically. Asking questions like: How do things work here as a whole? What are the elements that are missing, could be amplified, or developed to enhance the whole? How do we bring together the many organizations that are working on each of these elements collectively?

Square Roots Community Initiative was set-up as a non-profit in 2021 with the intent to turn all the profits back into the community. The non-profit owns The Creamery on Birch Street, the forthcoming art inspired hotel “Artelo,” and various properties, with the proceeds going to improving the community through various non-profit initiatives.

Beyond the investments of SRC, Luke speaks about the importance of working together and valuing the many contributors to the town’s success. There are the non-profits that are serving Kennett’s basic needs; the governance that is needed by the Kennett Borough Council and the active communication that Kennett Collaborative does to keep everyone informed about the many town events. We all are working together with the same end in mind; a town that thrives!

The Square Roots Collective team has identified three threads that they have identified as primary for strengthening the fabric of the town. The Relational Thread is created through bringing people together across racial and socioeconomic lines; The Placemaking Thread occurs when local art, history, along with the landscapes and preserves are a part of community life; The Economic Thread develops opportunities for each and all to take part.

Luke Zubrod started working for Chatham Financial when he was twenty-five-years old. He was attracted to the goal of creating a business model that restored trust in the capital markets; in other words, business making society better.

Today, Luke is a good example of one who has practiced this way of working and now is applying it to making the neighborhood and community where he lives better. After 18 years at Chatham, getting married and having three children, Luke left the company when Mike retired from Chatham to join him in his SRC pursuit. Luke continues to appreciate the visionary and creative work that Mike encourages and evokes in the SRC team.

Stephanie Almanza, daughter of Mike Bontrager, describes her father as having a “gravitational pull and is constantly welcoming people into what he is doing. She says that it is his faith that inspires, ‘grounds’ and motivates him.”

Stephanie attended Kennett schools; left the area to work in real estate and now is back in Kennett. She is married to her high school sweetheart; they have two children, and she is heading up the Square Roots Collective Real Estate team. Stephanie is another example of one, who is thriving because of her opportunity to use her creativity in weaving the relational, placemaking and economic threads on Birch Street.

She is excited about the boutique hotel, Artelo opening in July with a bow to art, bringing more attention to art on Birch Street. Each hotel room will feature original artwork created by regional artists. The public is invited to a grand opening and gallery reception at Artelo on Thursday, July 11, 2024, from 5:00-8:00 p.m.  Along with this change, there is a restaurant in the works and an expansion of The Creamery as part of the Birch Street Project.

Stephanie speaks about the programming that they continue to activate on Birch Street to develop the gathering place that helps create the relational thread. Several Hispanic events have been held at The Creamery and there will be an African Market event for a Juneteenth celebration. Stephanie says, “We find that after these events, residents come back which helps bring about a more diverse participation.”

Luke and Stephanie spoke about their other Square Roots Collective streams of work that are in progress. Square Roots has spearheaded the Kennett Trails Alliance (KTA) along with surrounding municipalities and existing partners. They will continue to develop a fourteen-mile trail of hiking and biking that connects Kennett community to its natural beauty.

Voices Underground was established to promote the legacy of the Underground Railroad and its nationally significant history in our area. They work with Lincoln University and Longwood Gardens on this project.

Square Roots is also at the early stages of determining how to further advance its concern for those experiencing poverty. It has launched a youth leadership initiative with Kennett students and a bike project that aims to start addressing concerns about transportation in the area. Square Roots, together with KACS and United Way of Southern Chester County, was integrally involved in founding the Southern Chester County Opportunity Network.

Square Roots through ownership of various properties is active in commercial and residential real estate locally. Almanza notes, “In our role as a landlord, we have a close view of the affordability challenges locally and are considering what our role might be in this area.”

Check out the web site that gives more detail about these efforts and ways you can become involved. The strong message that is echoed throughout Square Roots Collective is: “We have strong roots in this one square mile and believe that we collectively can do amazing things.”

The Story of Kennett – Shaping the future one child at a time” Joan Holliday and Bob George’s book on Kennett may be purchased on Amazon and at the Mushroom Cap. You may contact Joan at: dochollisv@aol.com