Right now in Vermont, there are 110 children and teenagers living in foster care without a loving forever family and a permanent home. Most of these youth are school-aged and many have unique needs. They are all incredibly resilient. The Heart Gallery is one of the ways that Project Family, Lund’s collaboration with the Vermont Department of Children and Families, recruits to find homes for these youth. The Heart Gallery is a traveling photo exhibit featuring portraits and short bios of youth who are available for adoption. It is displayed at libraries, community events, transit hubs, workplaces, any place that people might gather or pass through in order to put real names and faces to the youth most in need, and to raise awareness that these remarkable kids exist right here in Vermont.
The youth featured and their DCF case workers are actively involved in the process of taking the photos, selecting which ones to use and writing their bios. The youth’s attorney and Guardian ad Litem all approve their plan for recruitment. The gallery is refreshed and updated continually to keep the photos current. Once the youth is adopted, they and their family receive the beautiful canvas portrait that was used in the exhibit.
The Heart Gallery allows Vermonters to learn more about the children and youth who are waiting for forever families right here in the Green Mountain State. Project Family is recruiting families for those waiting kids. It is our job to make sure that every Vermont youth has an unconditional connection. Remembering that it is not a privilege to belong to a family it is a right!
Visit the Project Family website.
Do you know or own a business that has a space to host our heart gallery?
Please get in touch with Wanda: wandaa@lundvt.org
