Heart Gallery

One of the perks of my job as a recruiter for Hands Across the Water (HATW) is that I get to attend events like the Heart Gallery Opening.  The Heart Gallery travels around Michigan with professional portraits of kids available for adoptions.  The portraits are displayed on banners and on televisions screens.  Everywhere the Heart Gallery travels it connects children with potential adoptive families.  The pictures of the children are beautiful and often capture more than just a cute face.  Personalities shine through from their eyes and the location of the picture.  My table was set up directly opposite the banner and there was a large picture that kept catching my eye.  The young man in the picture chose to wear a hat and was leaning forward on his arms, smiling into the camera.  I think it takes a lot of confidence to wear a hat in any situation.  This teenager had smiling eyes that spoke of a good sense of humor.  He just looked like someone I would enjoy spending time with.  That is the power of the Heart Gallery.  The children in the photos seem to speak through their pictures and draw people in.  Professional photographer's donate their time to help these children look and feel their best in these photos.  The Heart Gallery also shows me how involved these children are in their own adoption search.  They participate in the photos and speak in video's about the kind of family they would like to be a part of.  One young man was brave enough to speak to all of us from the stage.  Many people brought children with them.  There were foster children, adopted children and birth children having a good time together.  Families came to celebrate the opening of this wonderful event that had touched so many lives. 
Agencies (in addition to HATW) set up informational tables for anyone who would like to become licensed to be a foster parent or adopt a child.  After the presentation and some lunch potential families browse the tables.  There is a unique atmosphere at events like this because agencies are not working against each other as you might think.  We work together to educate and help form forever families.  A family can choose and agency for many different reasons.  One of the biggest factors is geographic location.  A family needs to be able to come to their agency to drop off paperwork and attend training.  Many families choose an agency that is close to their place of employment instead of close to home.  Another important factor is level of support.  Adoption and foster care are often untraveled pathways for many.  You will need help down the path.  You will need education and support to make important decisions.  Some people choose an agency based on a feeling of connection and this is important too.  An agency is going to be visiting your home and delving into your personal life.  I would rather share my personal information with an agency that I like and trust.  My professional title is Recruitment Specialist which sounds a bit like an army recruiter or a car salesman.  Finding families who want to adopt or foster is not about talking people into something that they do not want to do.  Instead, it is sharing information and educating people about their choices.  This is what all agencies and organizations like the Heart Gallery specialize in.  The schedule of upcoming Heart Gallery events can be found at http://www.miheart.org/#!schedule.  Go check it out!!