siblingconnections

"Everyone should have an angel. We do.....her name is Judy Cockerton, our Founder & President." Judy was recently awarded the "Angel of Adoption: for Massachusetts 2010" by The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which orchestrates the Angels in Adoption™ program, at an awards ceremony and gala event in Washington, DC, October 6, 2010.

"As I think back over a lifetime of wonderful gifts that I have received from friends and family, I am struck by the power of one small gift wrapped in lavender tissue paper. My 13-year-old daughter gave me that transformative gift. It was a silver paperweight inscribed with the words, “What Would You Attempt To Do If You Knew You Would Not Fail?”

What a fabulous question! As a foster parent, I knew immediately what I would do.

I would inspire the nation to re-envision foster care in America.
I would help the nation turn around and embrace the 800,000 children we have place in the public foster care system.
I would create a Menu of Engagement Opportunities – a dozen stellar replicable programs that would help Americans re-think, re-envision, and re-design the way we care for our most vulnerable children.
I would collaborate with A+ people to create, launch, and sustain innovative programs that provide enduring relationships and community connections for children in the public foster care system.

This one simple gift was a catalyst. I sold my businesses, became a full time child advocate for children in the public foster care system, and began working with wonderful people to design outstanding programs that support the building of enduring relationships for children who experience foster care.
In 2004, we began a year-round sibling connection initiative for sisters and brothers experiencing foster care. The first program was Camp To Belong MA, a summer camp designed to connect siblings ages 8 – 20 years, who have been placed in separate foster homes. Camp To Belong was founded by Lynn Price, a former youth in care who knows first hand about the power of the sibling connection.
Camp To Belong MA launched in August 2005. We just experienced our fifth summer season in the Berkshires! This fall we began Season Five of our year-round program, Sibling Sundays in Easthampton, MA. Another chapter of Sibling Sundays began in November for siblings living in the eastern part of Massachusetts. Our goal is to provide year-round connection opportunities for every sister and brother in the Commonwealth. We hope you will find our work worthy of your support!"

Judy Cockerton - Founder & President Sibling Connections
Read Judy's Blog

Judy Cockerton (center) pictured with Danny DeVito & Rhea Pearlman at the awards ceremony in Washington DC

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