Corona, CA: NATIONAL PORTRAIT EXHIBIT TO CORONA

Exhibit Goal to Find Forever Families for Foster Children

A heart rendering photographic exhibit officially opens on Monday, April 23 at The Shops at Dos Lagos in Corona. The Heart Gallery features professional photographs of 50 children in foster care in California and other states across the U.S. The public is invited to view the gallery size portraits in display windows throughout The Shops at Dos Lagos, located at on Temescal Canyon Road between Weirick Road and Cajalco Road, just off the I-15 in Riverside County.

Professional photographers volunteered their time and talents to photograph the children who are featured in the national traveling exhibit which is touring selected venues throughout the U.S. Many of the children featured in the gallery are considered “hard to place in permanent homes” because they are older, in sibling groups that hope to stay together, or have special needs. The children’s photographs can also be viewed on line at www.nationalheartgalleryexhibit.org.

The National Heart Gallery Exhibit is a collaborative project of more than 120 Heart Galleries across the United States created to find adoptive families for children needing homes. The public is invited to view The National Heart Gallery exhibit, displayed inside storefronts at The Shops at Dos Lagos, through May 2. Following the Corona exhibition, the National Heart Gallery, sponsored by The Adoption Exchange Association, the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and The Advertising Council in partnership with The Freddie Mac Foundation, The Congressional Coalition on Adoption and The National Adoption Day Coalition, will travel to Iowa.

The Heart Gallery™ was founded by the New Mexico Children’s Department (CYFD) in 2001 as an innovative way to help waiting children connect with adoptive families. CYFD Adoption Event Specialist Diane Granito, took a suggestion by photographer and adoptive mother Cathy Maier Callanan, to launch the initial exhibit. The exhibit drew media attention and resulted in the adoption of many featured children.

The first National Heart Gallery exhibit opened in Washington, DC in November, 2005. The portraits were on display in Union Station’s West Hall and The Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda. The 2012 exhibit features portraits of current foster children who need homes.

In addition to the national tour, there are local Heart Gallery exhibits in over 40 markets that feature inspirational portraits by talented photographers who work free to capture the individuality of each child. Since 2006 Riverside County has toured a Heart Gallery exhibit of area children in need of forever homes and is one of the top counties in California for timely adoptions. Through Riverside County’s Heart Gallery, over 150 children have been adopted.

The Heart Gallery is dedicated to raising awareness about children living in foster care by connecting the artistic talents of renowned photographers with children who are in need of permanent adoptive families. The Shops at Dos Lagos will host The Heart Gallery of Riverside County exhibit during the Summer Arts at Dos Lagos juried art show from June 1 – 31. The Riverside County Heart Gallery portraits can be viewed at: heartgalleryriverside.org.

People interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent with Riverside County are encouraged to visit the exhibit or call 1-800-665-kids (5437) for more information.