Easthampton Woman Awarded With Purpose Prize For Foster Care Work

BOSTON (CBS) - An Eastampton woman received quite a big honor for her work in completely re-imagining foster care.

Judy Cockerton, 61, just received the Purpose Prize, a national award for leadership.

She founded the Treehouse Foundation, which set up a unique multi-generational housing community.

The foundation's goal is to create opportunities for people to support foster care kids even if they don't have the capacity to foster or adopt them.

Families who are planning to adopt foster children live there with people a community of people aged 55 or older who serve as honorary grandparents, and serve as a support system.

The former teacher has inspired more than 600 people to help foster children in Massachusetts.

Cockerton is one of five national 2012 Purpose Prize winners who will receive $100,000.