Traveling exhibit highlights foster children’s stories

Harris County recently welcomed Heart Gallery of Houston, a traveling photographic exhibit created to help find forever homes for children in foster care awaiting adoption with the help of professional photographers who volunteer their time. (Photo courtesy of the Office of Justice and Peace)

HOUSTON — In his letter announcing World Children’s Day in May, Pope Francis invited children to make the world a better place through prayer and small acts of kindness. He added that children remind everyone of the need and desire “to grow and flourish.”

Pope Francis said that all people are someone’s sons and daughters and are our brothers and sisters, “we would not be alive unless others brought us into this world, nor could we grow without having others to love and from whom to receive love.”

When Pope Francis commented on the gift of family, it is difficult not to recognize the situation within the wider community. Each day, over 3,000 children are awaiting adoption in Harris County. We have an opportunity to increase community awareness and educate ourselves and others about the plight of children in the foster care system.

On average, children will move seven separate times before leaving foster care. The statistics of what happens to children who age out of foster care are grim. A May 2017 study from the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI) reported if children are not adopted and age out of the system, here is what happens:
- 40% will become homeless within the first year.
- 60% are in jail within the first year.
- 50% battle with substance abuse.
- 70% are pregnant or parenting by the age of 21.

BEAR… BE A Resource was founded in 1997 to provide emergency items and resources to abused, neglected and at-risk services to children in need in our community who are under the care of Children’s Protective Services in the Greater Houston Area.

Harris County, the third largest county in the nation and the largest county in Texas, recently welcomed Heart Gallery of Houston to its BEAR program. This program is a traveling photographic exhibit created to help find forever homes for children in foster care awaiting adoption. With the help of professional photographers who volunteer their time and local businesses as well as community partners, these heartfelt canvas photos bring life to the faces of children who long to find a forever family with a life of stability and love.

Studies show that in communities that have an established Heart Gallery, the hardest-to-place children go from a 1% chance of being adopted to a more than 60% chance of adoption — and that number continues to grow.

These statistics clearly illustrate the need for partnerships of local churches, businesses and individuals. These children deserve and need loving homes. If they do not find one, this could directly affect their future as well as our city’s.

These traveling exhibits can be set up in any location for any amount of time with no effort for the host. The exhibit can be small, consisting of just a few canvas photos or as big as one would like, featuring all the children available for adoption. Each canvas photo is 20x24. These photos can be arranged on floor easels, table easels, hung on the wall, or any combination of these. There is no work for the host or venue. BEAR staff and/or volunteers will come in on the pre-designated date/time to set up and return on the pre-designated date/time to remove.

To learn more about this critical program and to see some of the children available for adoption, visit www.heartgalleryhouston.org.

Many children in our community yearn to be part of a loving, supportive family. There are so many ways to get involved. Please consider supporting this critical ministry.