Do you have a heart for kids? Meet Iowa children who are waiting to be adopted from foster care by viewing the Heart Gallery of Iowa, now on display until Dec. 6 at the Newton Public Library, located at 100 N. Third Ave. W. in Newton.
The Heart Gallery of Iowa is a traveling photography exhibit of Iowa children who are currently in foster care and waiting to be adopted into a permanent family.
More than 107,000 children in the U.S. are waiting in foster care for an adoptive family. Some of these children may wait five years or more to be adopted, which can seem like a lifetime to a child. These are the faces of Iowa’s waiting children, shown to Iowans by members of the Professional Photographers of Iowa and other professional photographers who volunteer their time and talents to bring out the personalities of the children in these compelling portraits.
Iowa has an ongoing need for foster and adoptive families, particularly for those who can foster and adopt teenagers, sibling groups and children with special needs. There is also an ongoing need for more foster and adoptive families from diverse backgrounds. With support, encouragement and love from caring adults and mentors, children in foster care can reach their potential for greatness.
To adopt a child from foster care in Iowa, families must complete a training and licensing process. Visit www.iowakidsnet.com for more information. On the website, families can also view other children waiting to be adopted and sign up for email alerts that will notify them when new children are profiled on the site.
Iowa KidsNet is a statewide collaboration of agencies that utilizes a unique, cohesive approach to provide recruitment, training, licensing and continued support to individuals who wish to become foster and adoptive parents. Iowa KidsNet is a partnership of Iowa social service agencies, including Four Oaks, Children’s Square USA, Family Resources, LSI and Quakerdale.
For more information, call (800) 243-0756 or visit www.iowakidsnet.com.