While snow skiing in New Mexico I read a newspaper story about foster children never finding homes if they were over 8 or in a minority or sibling group. It appeared that they were being represented badly. Their story was sad, but the photos were worse. The state used disposable cameras and did not brush the child’s hair or worry about the lighting. There were image cropping incidents where the cropper cut off an ear to remove a sibling from the photo that was not up for adoption.
It was so important to get people to notice the child behind the bad photo.
Which led to the new idea to use professional photographers to capture the child’s essence through photo journalistic style images with a brief write-up on each child. I knew a dozen amazing wedding photographers so she sold the publishing company and started a Heart Gallery in East Texas. They photographed over 200 kids and had families selected for over half of them. I was wildly successful at finding homes for these children by interviewing and writing their stories and desires for a new family. I hosted and planned amazing photography events where the children could enjoy the process and receive gifts and attention. This allowed the kids to be captured at play, where they were smiling and happy and forced the over-worked social workers to spend time with them.
I spoke to the Senate and House of Representatives, hosted many media events, had hundreds of articles published, started “Pure Religion” a faith-based adoption marketing program and was on the founding board of Heart Gallery of America.
After 5 years I handed the Heart Gallery to the state with a bunch of instructions.
East Texas Heart Gallery link info
Events/ Writing/Non-Profit Management
East Texas Heart Gallery – Director/Founder – June 2005-December 2009
Objectives – Raise awareness of the need to adopt from foster care, find families for children over 8 or in a minority or sibling group through the use of photojournalistic style photography and improved biographies of children, improve effectiveness of Department of Family and Protective Services in regards to working with available families.
Actions-Determine available children, document and promote, photograph and schedule fun events, require workers to attend photoshoots so that they may know their wards, get all city, state, county and federal groups to understand and work together to assist in the recruitment and placement process.
Events- Schedule display events, book live entertainment, schedule group and individual photo events, interview and thoughtfully document children, arrange fundraisers with wine tastings and catered food, coordinate the use of hundreds of venues, gather tables, chairs and display lighting and sound equipment, photograph over 250 children across 7 counties, have families selected for over half of them, speak at judicial conference, recruit heads of state to speak and represent, manage and plan multiple National Adoption Day events simultaneously.
Promotions- print and mount portraits, create free-standing displays, acquire local and national media coverage, speak to heads of state on behalf of children, recruit celebrities, create website.
Non-Profit- Start a non-profit, raise funds, write grants, gather donations, require state employee attendance to acquaint the worker with the child they represent, encourage best practices, recruit volunteers, insure safety and privacy of children, write multidimensional budget, manage board of directors, develop relations with judges and child welfare boards, help state employees to better utilize resources, create how-to book filled with resources for adoptive and foster families.
“In 4 weeks I developed and executed a catered “Polar Express” train ride for 36 orphans, 30 social workers and 50 volunteers. A NFL Player, a Hall of Famer and the marines entertained the children. After the train ride Santa delivered 2 king size gift bags to each child from a horse drawn coach. Everyone cried, even the media.”
Collaborative Partners: Child Advocacy Center, East Texas Council on Adoptable Children, Getting together Safely, 3 in 1 Trinity Services, Hearts in Harmony Animal Assisted Therapy, Child Protective Services, Boys & Girls Clubs, Parents Anonymous, Parent Services, Graduation Party, Preparing for Adult Living, Department of Family & Protective Services, Buckner Children and Family Services, Azleway, Lutheran Social Services, Texas Baptist Home for Children, CASA, Texas Foster Family Association, State Network of Child Welfare Boards, Rainbow Room, Emancipation for Graduates
Media Acquired for Heart Gallery-
5 Appearances on TV’s Gift of Love
7 Appearances on ABC & CBS News
2 Appearances on CBS Dateline
Numerous Radio & Newspaper and the National Inquirer
HGA Appeared on the View
Have spoken for Kiwanis, Rotary, Pilot Club, Chambers, Child Welfare Boards, National Judicial Conference, and Heads of State while in Session
The Heart Gallery helped hard to place (over 8 or in a minority or sibling group) orphans living in foster care with soulful, insightful photographs and shared them, and their dreams with potential parents.
