ServiceNet’s Tiffany Carter Honored with Foster Parent of the Year Award by Massachusetts DCF

Tiffany Carter, program director of ServiceNet’s Skillbuilders Makerspace+, has been recognized as one of 34 Massachusetts awardees for the Foster Parent of the Year award by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Carter began her foster parenting journey in 2018 by fostering a relative. Since then, Carter has welcomed six different children into her home, and was honored at a special brunch in Framingham on June 2. Reflecting on the event, she remarked, “I was surprised and deeply honored. It was wonderful to feel the love and appreciation in the room for what we do every day.”

Explaining her start, Carter said, “It started as kinship fostering, which means fostering a child related to a friend or family member. It’s honestly the easiest way to get certified to be a foster home, but it’s probably one of the most challenging roles to take on as foster parents because it’s somebody that you know.”

Since then, Carter has pursued additional training and is now an unrestricted foster home. She is currently fostering three children, including two siblings who are in the process of being adopted by her. Reflecting on her experience, she shared, “Being a foster parent is challenging yet incredibly rewarding. We are the lucky ones who get to be a part of these children’s healing and growth.”

As Carter manages her responsibilities at ServiceNet alongside fostering, she appreciates the support from her workplace. “Fostering is a full-time job in itself, but having a job that’s understanding, welcoming, and supportive of what I do and what’s in my heart is amazing,” she said.