Jarod is out of hope. He feels he’s out of time and he has no idea what to do about it. Ask about his future, and he shuts down. Though Jarod seems to have given up on himself, he still has another year.
Many children like Jarod have new hope through the innovative initiative, The Heart Gallery. This program combines professional portraits by renowned documentary and portrait photographers of children in foster care who are waiting to be adopted with art show-style exhibits around the country.
Dr. Eilers, of the Adoption Coalition of Texas, led the formation of the Heart Gallery of Central Texas several years ago. The goal of The Heart Gallery of Central Texas is to elicit support for and interest in the lives of these children - and ultimately find each child and sibling group a “forever family.”
At any given moment, there are 500 children waiting for adoption in the Central Texas foster care system, all removed from their natural family due to abuse or neglect. The Heart Gallery process helps break down common misconceptions regarding adoption and promotes the idea that if you can provide a safe and loving home for a child, even if you are a single individual or do not own a home, you can still adopt.
“It’s extraordinary to know that in just the two years of the Heart Gallery program, over 60% of the children featured in portraits were adopted,” said Dr. Eilers. “This remarkable rate of success proves this effort has been effective in raising awareness for the kids and the Central Texas foster care system overall. Every year after the debut, we receive thousands of phone calls and emails from all over the country and we want that to keep happening.”
“Seeing these children in photographs as they laugh and play is a very powerful experience. We want to inspire people to learn more about adopting from the foster care system. Our whole purpose is to humanize these children, display their personalities, and give a glimpse into their souls,” explained Eilers.
Article comments
1 - Val Stilwell MSCS
Organizations can help by utilizing technology - help, instruction, and training can all be delivered to kids before they age out by using media rich, interactive technology. Online training is available as we speak. Learning how to find apartments, jobs, manage money, cook, social skills, dealing with anger, and much more is available for these kids. - inexpensively too. The social work world has got to rethink its approach to traditional methods and incorporate online programs to help these kids.
Foster resource homes have a first time failure rate of 47-62% because the foster parents don't get topic specific behavioral training when they need it the most. Kids are placed in their homes with tough behavioral challenges. Agencies can provide immediate, specific training to foster parents - the same day they place a child.. the parents learn techniques, the kids get understood and the jumping from home to home slows down.
Using technology, kids can come with directions. There's simply no excuse today to not have information available when it's needed the most - not in today's techonolocially able world.
2 - Needham Mayes
There is a dire need to assist these children. How can we help? [Personal contact info deleted] We are a community of social services providers.
The Sabaoth Group. Mrs. Anita Taylor is President.
3 - Mildred
Needham Mayes
You're an a**. You made it clear that you need dire need. Remember this if nothing else the World is round and what you ditch out comes back to you. You must be one of those people that are complaining all the time and wondering why Bad things continue to happen to you. Read your statement again and YOU will know why you feel unlucky.
4 - Angela Nash
We are writing a book on the subject of orphans and children of the foster care system. With a portion of the proceeds from our book we will build transitional homes across the U.S for those who have aged out but still need assistance. We are looking for stories to complete our book. Is there anyone out there willing to share their story? [Personal contact info deleted]
5 - Needham Mayes
You are not talking about this Needham Mayes
All I have done was advocate for social services for this needy population in which I have supervised
6 - Needham Mayes
Hi, Mildred,
What are you talking about?I have assisted and supervised others and was asked for information to help this population, but, why am I even responding to your ignorance?
[Personal contact info deleted]
Needham Mayes,LCSW,PHD
7 - David
I sold on the idea of helping a age out male from faster care.... So now I got to find the right person to talk too...
8 - Kyle
Hi, I'm 17 in 5 days, I'm in foster care. I live in Ohio. I have been in the system since I had been 9. My caseworker says my county (butler) will pay for my college education, an apartment of my own, and they provide a weekly sum of money to get me by in groceries. are they lying to me? I hear cases where kids... my friends are thrown to the streets and live place to place or have a little car they live in. My friends at school who know a foster kid that aged out said his county put alot of BS in is head about the same things I am being told, but he is homeless, and has a really crappy. I'm not allowed to go home so family help isn't an option. So whats going to happen to me in a year?
9 - sunnie kuhleman
How can these children be reached and what is necessary to make contact with them. I have just resigned as a court appointed special advocate. The program is hopefully different elsewhere, and I succeeded in doing what needed to be done with a couple of cases, but I attended a conference last fall where a young man from Rhode Island spoke-- a product of this system. My husband and I are senior citizens but I would like to help some of these kids.
10 - Just another foster child
I'm a former foster child in florida there a program called ilp (independent living program) the program helps giving finAncial help for board and food this program is great I say to the world look at what u have done to children to kick children to the curve and expect them to be ok you should be ashamed of your self we are human u pick the wrong path for us kids if it wasn't for Floridas program I would be a jail bird now I work with kids for covenant kids manor Ernesto Torres 3rd. To think my grand parents dint kick my parents out or abuses them but me I walk a long path of he'll