Catching up with Banyan Tree Women’s Collective founder Melissa Fabreo-Montelongo

We first talked with Menlo Park resident Melissa Fabreo-Montelongo soon after she founded the non-profit Banyan Tree Women’s Collective in 2020 “to give access to wellness/fitness choices to a wide and diverse group of people,” she told us.

We caught up with her again in advance of a fundraiser scheduled for May 29 at the Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club which will feature fashions by Lan Yu, a designer from China. The fashion show is followed by dinner. You can purchase tickets in advance online.

“This is the second year we’ve done this, and it’s a little bigger this year.” says Melissa. “Since our founding, we’ve given 1,000 classes for free to 17,000 people. The only way we can do that is with events like this.”

Banyan Tree’s launch came just before the world shut down due to the pandemic, hence their emphasis on online classes initially. While they are still an option, in-person classes take place at Arrillaga Family Recreation Center.

Classes and programming still focus on four branches of wellness — nutrition, movement, spirit, and lifestyle. “We hope these will be sustainable practices,” Melissa says.

While Banyan Tree is thriving, she says the team is always looking at how they can expand their offerings. “People can take classes for free, and we hope they’ll tell their friends about their experience. And, of course, we welcome donations.”