Page 105 - Parents Magazine (December 2019)
P. 105
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LIFEÑPhi lanthropy
SHARE YOUR
Voıce
Judy Cockerton’s
charity not only removes
the housing barrier
that potential foster parents
face, but it also makes
older adults feel needed.
Finding real estate was a challenge.
TREEHOUSE The homes in Illinois were purchased
FOUNDATION way below market value. Cockerton
couldn’t find a deal like that. She would
“We want to give have to build not only community support
you a village to raise but also the actual residences. “I set up a
foster kids.” meeting with our state child-welfare Parents invites you to join
commissioner, and he introduced me to our reader panel. We want
PURPOSE Create intergenerational an affordable real-estate developer to know what you think!
housing communities across the who believed in our mission and vision.”
country so foster-adoptive families Two years later, the Treehouse
can live alongside older adults Community, a 60-home village in SEND
FOUNDED 2006 Easthampton, opened its doors.
The homes and apartments are your thoughts and opinions
Eighteen months after Judy Cockerton placed around a circle and surrounded
became a foster parent to two young by fields, playgrounds, and other spaces TEST
sisters, she sold the small business she that make relationship building all but new products for
had nurtured for almost two decades. inevitable. Currently, Treehouse has moms and kids
“When I brought the girls home, I 120-plus community members with a
began reading about our foster-care ratio of four elders to every family. GET
system and learned that 25,000 kids “We’re expanding in Massachusetts and
free samples, coupons,
age out every year before being placed to Northern California,” says Cockerton.
and more
with a family,” says Cockerton, a former Before Treehouse, Mary Gomez had
teacher who has two biological children. struggled to become a foster parent.
Cockerton sought to remove two The single mom of two had long wanted
of the main barriers for potential to foster children with disabilities JOIN TODAY
families: not having enough room in but was denied by the state because her
at parents.com/meredithvoices
their home for foster kids, and feeling apartment was too small.
and enter for a chance to win
isolated. She heard about a midwestern After two years on the wait list,
$10,000*
community where foster-adoptive Gomez got a spot and moved in. Since
families live side by side with “honorary then, she’s fostered eight kids. She’s also
grandparents,” ages 55 and older. found some time for herself. Earlier this
*NO PURCHASE OR SURVEY PARTICIPATION
The former benefit from the extra year, she took a vacation alone and IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Subject to
help and stability; the latter feel started college for the first time. “When Official Rules at www.surveygizmo.com/s3/989068/
Sweepstakes-Rules. The $10,000 Reader Survey
a sense of purpose and connection. “I I’ve had a stressful day, I can call my
Sweepstakes begins at 12:00 AM ET on October 1, 2019
elderly neighbors and say: ‘Can you
flew to Illinois to see it,” she says.
ROB DEZA. “When I got back, I sought to adapt this please come over and watch the kids? I to legal residents of the United States and the District of
and ends at 11:59 PM ET on September 30, 2020. Open
Columbia, 21 years or older. Sweepstakes is offered by
concept for Massachusetts.”
need to walk around the circle.’ ”
Meredith Corporation and may be promoted by any of
its publications in various creative executions online and
in print at any time during the sweepstakes. Limit one (1)
entry per person and per email address, per survey. Void
P A R E N T S 103 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 where prohibited. Sponsor: Meredith Corporation.
