For 12 years, Norm Cookson and his wife, Heidi Cookson, have worked as ‘house parents’ at ‘of Tampa Bay. It’s a role that hits close to home for Norm, as he spent time in the foster care system in Connecticut when he was a teenager.
A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay (AKPTB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a safe, nurturing home to children in foster care in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. There, Norm, Heidi and the other house parents work 24-hour shifts seven days a week in their assigned houses and then have one week off. This house-parent model helps provide stability and normalcy to the children living on campus, some of whom are there for years, as well as a firsthand example of a loving and healthy marriage.
“It feels good to know that I can help someone and really rewarding to make a positive impact on the kids,” Norm said.
While on shift, the Cooksons’ days usually start at 6 a.m. and end around 10 or 11 p.m. They get the kids to school, take them to appointments and extracurricular activities, administer medications, do laundry, cook, clean, work to instill positive behaviors — including eating, hygiene, chores and getting along with other kids in the house — and provide love and encouragement.
“I am constantly having the alarm on my phone remind me of all the things to do throughout the day,” Norm said.
Up to 10 children live in each home on campus at any given time, and hundreds of kids have come through the door of the home managed by the Cooksons over the years.
With a professional background that includes machining and nursing, Norm also has a side business as a DJ and is certified in water safety. He uses both as a means to connect with the kids.
A Kid’s Place recently launched the Building a Brighter Future Capital Campaign to raise $8 million, which will fund construction of a 12,000-square-foot activity center on A Kid’s Place’s campus, among other things.
“The new activity center will be godsend to help with the kids’ behavior and mental attitude,” Norm said. “It would give us a nice space where they can spread out and also have a place for us to host parties and swim in our own pool.”
The new activity center will include larger indoor gathering space for birthday parties, holidays and other group celebrations; more rooms for therapy, family visitation, arts and crafts, vocational education and community involvement; a dedicated educational computer lab; spaces for enhanced services within the ‘Stepping Stones’ program, which teaches kids age 13 and up independent living skills; an outdoor basketball court; and an outdoor courtyard, exercise room and swimming pool.
Currently, Norm takes kids on trips to community pools where he has connections; however, he says the kids would feel much more comfortable swimming in a pool on campus.
Over 5,000 children are in foster care in the Tampa Bay area. Since 2009, A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay has served over 1,700 children and 753 families. The average length of stay at A Kid’s Place is 578 days, and the longest length of stay for a current child living at A Kid’s Place is seven years.
To learn more about the Building a Brighter Future campaign, call Samantha Mellen at 813-381-3839 or visit https://akpcapitalcampaign.org/. For more information on AKPTB, visit https://akidsplacetb.org/.
