Heart Gallery Alabama works to find forever homes for foster children
Above: Michelle Bearman-Wolnek has promoted adoption for foster children across the state for 10 years.
“Will you help me find a home?” That is what their innocent eyes said.
You can almost hear the melody of hope when you look at photographs of foster children featured with Heart Gallery Alabama. Talk about tugging on the heartstrings.
Michelle Bearman-Wolnek has promoted adoption for foster children across the state for 10 years. She does this through the Heart Gallery. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to finding forever families for children in Alabama’s foster care system by raising awareness and educating the public.
Heart Gallery Alabama works to find forever homes for foster children from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Bearman-Wolnek and her staff work with the Alabama Department of Human Resources to create a photographic exhibit of foster children shot by professional photographers. The exhibit travels to venues from Huntsville to Mobile, Dothan to Florence, and all points in between.
“Every child featured in the Heart Gallery currently resides in foster care. So we partner with the state office of DHR and help them recruit families,” Bearman-Wolnek said. “The way we do that is by enlisting professional photographers to photograph all of these children you see around me, and help capture their unique personalities. We have also added a video component so families can learn more about these children.”
The photos, videos and other information are posted on each child’s page on the Heart Gallery’s website.
Bearman-Wolnek and her staff are active all over the state. On the evening of our interview, she participated in the lighting of the Christmas tree at the State Capitol in Montgomery and collected toys for the foster children.
For her, Heart Gallery is a personal thing. Bearman-Wolnek has two adopted children, and she sees it as her mission in life to help other children find permanent homes. Since its inception, Heart Gallery has photographed about 1,100 children, and completed the adoption of 65 percent of those children.
“Our photographs are a compelling and authentic representation of children across the state who need a loving and permanent home. We interview all the children and post them on their web page,” Bearman-Wolnek said.
All you have to do is listen to Bearman-Wolnek talk about the children, and you can’t help but hear the passion in her voice. But if you go to the Heart Gallery office or see one of the exhibits around the state, you might tear up looking in the eyes of these precious children.
The eyes that say, “Will you help me find a home?”
A melody of hope is playing as everyone’s heartstrings are gently tugged upon seeing the photographs of Alabama’s Heart Gallery.
For more information, visit Heart Gallery Alabama.
Alabama Bright Lights captures the stories, through words, pictures and video, of some of our state’s brightest lights who are working to make Alabama an even better place to live, work and play. Award-winning photojournalist Karim Shamsi-Basha tells their inspiring stories. Email him comments, as well as suggestions on people to profile, at karimshamsibasha@gmail.com.
