Family First

Family First: Heart Gallery NYC

NEW YORK (CBS) ― There are 17,000 foster children living in New York City. More than 50 of the most hard to place children have been photographed for Heart Gallery NYC.

The hope is that these pictures will inspire people to open their hearts and their homes to kids who need love and permanent families.

Laurie Sherman Graff is the Executive Director of Heart Gallery NYC.

What is Heart Gallery NYC?

Heart Gallery NYC is a non-profit organization that combines the artistic talents of notable photographers with New York City's children in foster care who desperately need "forever families."

Working in association with the New York City Administration for Children's Services, Heart Gallery NYC identifies children in foster care that need permanent adoptive homes. These children are photographed by award-winning photographers who donate their time and talents to the Heart Gallery project.

The beautiful portraits, which reveal the individuality and spirit of the children, are then exhibited in well-trafficked venues throughout the five boroughs to raise awareness, and to move prospective parents to open their hearts and homes through adoption.

How many cities have Heart Galleries, and how many children have been adopted?

There are nearly 100 Heart Galleries throughout the United States from Maine to Hawaii. Please visit www.adoptuskids.org to see a listing of many Heart Galleries. Well over 1,000 children have been adopted as a direct result of the Heart Gallery project.

Most of the children are older. What are you looking for in adoptive parents?

We want adoptive parents that will give older kids and sibling groups a chance. We want both single and couples who will simply open their hearts. They will find out that these kids can contribute an amazing amount to an adoptive family. They have a ton of love to offer. In some ways they are aged beyond their years. In some ways, they are young and need to live out their childhood. And they are teens who have had time to think about life and they want a family so much. We want people who are ready for their love.

How many NYC foster children are in the exhibit and how are they chosen?

There are 53 children in the Inaugural Heart Gallery exhibit. We work with the Administration for Children's Services to identify children who are legally freed for adoption.

The majority of our children are considered hard to place, they are older – pre-teen or teen, in sibling groups, some have special needs.

Please visit our website to see the kids www.heartgallerynyc.org

Where will the photographs be shown?

The photographs will be shown for two weeks from Aug 1-Aug 15th at the Times Square information Center, 1560 Broadway (Enter on 7th Ave bet. 46th & 47th Streets) and then move to other sites around New York. Check out out web site at www.heartgallerynyc.org and find out our exact schedule of exhibits. And, come visit the exhibits and send your friends who might be thinking about mentoring, adopting or volunteering.

What's the adoption process?

The adoption process is much shorter than you think. There are classes for prospective parents and there is a home study and references that are done. But in most cases it can take six months to a year, sometimes less. It goes by quickly and it gives you and the child time to acclimate and bond and be sure that you are doing it for all the right reasons. It is worth the adventure, every step of it.

Final thoughts?

Come visit the exhibit, and see the beautiful portraits. Open your heart to a child in need. There are so many ways that you can help from adoption, mentoring, volunteering. Please visit our website www.heartgallerynyc.org or call 212 965-8699 to learn more.

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