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Foster Children Open Hearts
Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO
Jesse Miller, director of The Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay, puts the finishing touches on the exhibit ahead of its debut Wednesday at the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County. Forty children were adopted by people who visited the exhibit last year, she said.
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Published: February 11, 2008
Updated: 02/10/2008 11:23 pm
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TAMPA - Adoption programs are coming into the open and to a mall near you.
For the fifth year, The Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay is traveling to malls and other venues to draw attention to foster children awaiting adoption.
About 500 children from infants to teens live in foster homes and group settings in Hillsborough, and many are awaiting permanent adoption.
The yearlong traveling exhibit features 20-by-24-inch photographs and brochures spotlighting 109 foster children. Many displays include "audio wands" that play messages recorded by the child.
"This takes adoption out of the shadows. For a long time it wasn't supposed to be talked about," said Carolyn Eastman, spokeswoman for the Children's Board of Hillsborough County.
The exhibit has new faces each year, but children who haven't found a family often appear again.
Last year, about 40 children were matched with parents who saw the exhibit, said Jesse Miller, the gallery's director.
The gallery will kick off Wednesday at the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, 1002 E. Palm Ave. in Tampa, and remain there for about a month before heading to another venue. The Children's Board and Hillsborough Kids Inc. support the nonprofit gallery.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
•The Heart Gallery will open Wednesday at 1002 E. Palm Ave., Tampa.
•Hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday until March 11. Call ahead for times on Saturdays.
•After March 11, the gallery will move to several other venues. For information, call (813) 229-2884 or go to www.heartgallerytampabay.org.
Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or at rshopes@tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( Wolfman63 ) on February 11, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Becareful,,,, I believe this is a good program, but make sure you get a full disclosure of the child. It is very hard to reverse the adoption, because they fail to tell you the child you are adopting can be harmful or hurt younger children.
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