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Homes are where their hearts are

Kids from tots to teens speak about their dreams of finding an adoptive family in the Heart Gallery.

By GAIL HOLLENBECK
Published October 22, 2005

LECANTO - The children are ages 5 to 17. Their faces are black, brown or white.

Some have broad, toothy smiles. Others seem shy, guarded.

Many of them talk about their love of sports. A few excel in academics.

One is blind. Another cannot walk or talk.

All of them share a common dream that some family will open up their hearts and give them a "forever home."

The Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay is trying to make those dreams come true.

The gallery, now in its third year, is a collaborative effort of the African American Families Unite Task Force, the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, the Children's Home and Hillsborough Kids Inc. It was created to give hundreds of local children, now in foster care, a permanent home by introducing them to the community through the use of a traveling exhibit that displays portraits of more than 80 children, both individuals and sibling groups, who must be adopted together. Next to the photos are "phones" with recordings of the children's voices sharing their hopes and dreams of finding a family.

The gallery, which has received national attention in Parade magazine and ABC World News Tonight, is on display at Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church, brought here as part of the church's Cords of Kindness ministry.

Tara Bryant is head of community outreach for the church.

"My hopes for the Heart Gallery are that through this venue, children will be adopted," she said. "It fits our ministry because it's a tool to educate our church and the community to the urgent need for local kids to be adopted. Not only will it encourage people to adopt, it will also educate others to offer support and encouragement to the families who do."

Recently, Suzanne and Jack Granger viewed the gallery. The 60-something couple said they would like to offer encouragement to a family that adopts a child.

"Jack and I had talked about it, and we thought maybe a nice thing would be to be grandparents to an adoptive family," Mrs. Granger said. "We have one granddaughter and she lives in Denver, and we don't get a chance to see her very often. We thought this might be a way to help a family, but we would love it, too."

Mrs. Granger said they would be able to take a child places, including to church.

"My grandparents had always done that," she said. "Whenever we went out Sunday for a planned activity, we always went to church first. You can take them places and travel with them, which I think is really neat because that's how we learn about other people and other places and our history."

Mrs. Granger thinks the Heart Gallery is a compelling display.

"It just seems like the children's whole being, their souls were captured by those beautiful pictures," Mrs. Granger said. "They didn't look posed; most of them looked very happy. They did a wonderful job when they took their photos. We're hoping that every single one of those children that was up there is adopted."

Angie and Skip Ewing are hopeful about adopting two of the children and have contacted the Heart Gallery via the Internet. They plan to take the course offered at Seven Rivers for those interested in adoption.

"My heart poured out to the children that were up there," Mrs. Ewing said. "They're all ages and races, and it didn't matter who they were or what age they were. I knew I wanted to participate in this and find out about these children."

Mrs. Ewing, who is white, picked up five of the information cards next to the children's portraits. A mother of three boys, she said her oldest son wants the family to adopt two African-American siblings.

"My 13-year-old son is interested in two brothers," Mrs. Ewing said. "I have their pictures in my purse, and I've taken them everywhere with me. I haven't stopped thinking about them. My son doesn't care what color they are, he wants them to be his brothers. He's the oldest and everything is about him now, he's in eighth grade and it's his time. I told him money would be tight if we had two more and he said, "I don't care, Mom.' I just thought that was beautiful."

Melissa Twomey, coordinator for the gallery, explained how the children are chosen for the exhibit.

"First, they have to want to be in the gallery. Our gallery is a representative sample of available children. There are 200 children for Hillsborough County. Then we choose those that may have been in foster care for a longer amount of time and have waited for a family longer. These children are generally older. We want to find them homes before they are 18 years of age and have the option of leaving the system and the support it provides, putting them at risk for failure or crime, etc."

Twomey said success for the Heart Gallery is measured in many ways.

"Every time it travels, it exposes more and more people to our neediest children. Even for the majority of people who see it, those who may not be in a position to adopt a child, they are moved by the powerful presentation of the children's faces and are made aware, maybe for the first time, that there are many ways they can help. These children may need mentoring, fostering or representation in court. Obviously, donation in time, money or goods can always be used to support the children. Any of the caregivers groups can help underwrite some of the expenses of the exhibit, like moving the display. Besides all of these things, of 74 children in the 2004 exhibit, 20 were adopted. Of the 84 children in this year's exhibit, 18 have been to date. In both years that might have included sibling groups."

The Heart Gallery includes the portrait of a pretty 11-year-old girl with braces. Her name is Shafele.

"I tell people I'm a tall, black American athlete who enjoys being around people and who cares about others' feelings," Shafele's voice tells those who listen to her recorded message.

"My first wish is to see my brothers," her message says. "I have not seen them for a long time. Number two is to be a great soccer player and go around the world playing soccer. Three, my last, is to stay a nice person that people like to be around."

A poster on the display states what the gallery is all about.

"We invite you to come closer to our children. Close enough to see their faces. Close enough to hear their voices. Close enough to touch your heart."

And that's just what the Heart Gallery does.

The Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay, which features portraits of children in need of adoption, is on display this month at Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church, 4221 W Gulf to Lake Highway, Lecanto. It is open for viewing from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to noon Sundays. It will also be open from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 31.

For more information on the Heart Gallery or to find out how you can help, call 813 204-1792 or e-mail gallerycoordinator@heartgallerytampabay.org or visit www.heartgallerytampabay.org

For those interested in learning more about adoption or foster parenting, there will a town hall meeting after church services Oct. 29 and 30 at Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church. Service times are 6 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Adoptive and foster parent training MAPP classes, led by Julie Boyer and Madeline Penna, will be offered at the church in January. Call 746-6200.

[Last modified October 22, 2005, 01:13:18]