EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — State and local leaders gathered last week to celebrate the launch of the Heart Gallery of El Paso, an initiative hosted by the Paso del Norte Community Foundation that uses photography to raise awareness of and support children in the region who want to be adopted.

It is the first of eleven such programs that will open across Texas thanks to recent state funding.

In addition to the launch, the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, the sponsor of the initiative, announced Valeria Contreras as the Executive Director of the Heart Gallery of El Paso.

The Heart Gallery highlights children and youth who want to be adopted by helping the community learn about their unique stories.

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These efforts are particularly useful for young people who may have a harder time matching with a family because they are older, have a sibling group, or have medical issues.

Before Heart Galleries, the only resource social workers had to advocate for the children in their caseload was a grainy photo taken on their cell phone. Their chance of ever being adopted was often less than 1%,” explained Kori Gough, Director of Heart Galleries of Texas. “The Heart Gallery was founded with the idea to instead use professional photographers to shine a light on these children. The results were staggering. Statistics now show that when a robust Heart Gallery program is in place, the chance of adoption has surpassed 60%.

The Women’s Commission and the Office of the First Lady partnered with the University of Texas and the Texas Center for Child and Family Studies to advocate for the establishment of Heart Gallery programs throughout Texas.

During the 88th Legislative Session, Texas lawmakers provided $12 million to the University of Texas Steve Hicks School of Social Work to launch Heart Gallery programs across the state.

“The Heart Galleries of Texas is more than just photographs, it is a testament to the potential that lies within each child, reminding us all that when hearts come together, we can change lives forever,” said Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, who also spoke at the launch event in El Paso. “I am proud to support the Heart Galleries of Texas and hope that this critical investment will offer greater dignity and stability for children in the foster care system who are available for adoption.”

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