Tennessee Photographers Break Record To Capture Youthful Energy To Raise Adoption Awareness

Professional photographers from across the state of Tennessee joined together with Gift for a Child, Inc. to benefit children in foster care. Photographers from the Tennessee Professional Photographers Association, Tennessee American Society of Media Photographers, Memphis Professional Photographers Guild, University Photographers Association and other photographers accepted the charge to capture the liveliness and personality of more than 150 of the 9,000 children in foster care. Each photographer rose to the occasion by donating their talent and time to capture with a camera the faces of adoption in Tennessee. The photos will become part of a mobile photographic adoption awareness exhibit from Gift for a Child, Inc. called the Heart Gallery Southeast.

These children’s glowing smiles and the lingering need for them to find long-term homes filled with love resulted in a record breaker. “The photographers undoubtedly share the drive and passion of their peers, but this specific project tugged on their heartstrings and quickly mobilized individual photographers and photographic associations into action, said Rene Gunn, founding executive director of Gift for a Child/Heart Gallery Southeast. These volunteer professionals were able to successfully capture a large number of youthful subjects on film from 10 Tennessee cities in less time than the typical four to six months it takes to put together a Heart Gallery photographic exhibit.”

“The significance of the photographer’s work and tenacity to accomplish this task in 3 weeks is paramount, said Tom Stanford, director of photography for The Tennessean. “Each child’s well-being can potentially be enhanced as a result of the photos and the exhibit. The Tennessee photographers ultimately gave their time in order to provide Gift for a Child/Heart Gallery Southeast with images to inspire loving families to open their hearts and homes to foster children.”

These photographs carry distinct significance. They will soon appear in museums and galleries across the state in a creative and emotional exhibit called the Heart Gallery Tennessee. A preview exhibit can be seen in October during the Adoption Bike Tour in Memphis, Jackson, Huntington, Bruceton, Camden, Dickson, Nashville, Lebanon, Crossville, Kingsport ending in Knoxville. Visitors will visually meet each child as they glance at each symbolic snapshot. The Heart Gallery Tennessee exhibit will continue its multi-city tour in 2007.

The number of children in foster care – more than 500,000 across the U.S. – has doubled since 1987. Currently, 9,000 children are in foster care in Tennessee. Children in the system spend an average of three years in foster care, and more than 126,000 are waiting to be adopted. Many of these children are between the ages of 5 and 17.

All of the children featured in the Gift for a Child/Heart Gallery Southeast are photographed with the permission of the Tennessee Department of Children Services (DCS), the state agency responsible for their care. The photographers involved followed guidelines set by DCS and Gift for a Child. All the children involved in the program are legally free for adoption.


About Gift for a Child Inc.
Gift for a Child Inc. is a non-profit organization focused on raising awareness and finding permanent homes and a brighter future for children in the foster care system. The organization works with child welfare agencies, businesses, schools and churches to bring the community closer to the reality that there are thousands of children who need help finding a family they can call their own.

About The Heart Gallery Southeast Program
The Heart Gallery Southeast Program is an adoption recruitment program of Gift for a Child Inc. designed to raise awareness and educate the communities in Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee concerning the urgent need for foster and adoptive families in the Southeast. Gift for a Child operates Heart Gallery Tennessee, Heart Gallery Georgia, Heart Gallery Mississippi and Heart Gallery Charlotte.
About the Heart Gallery Tennessee Photographers
The following professional photographers, listed in alphabetical order, are donating their time and energy to advance the cause and visibility of foster children in Tennessee.

Neal Ammons, Mark Bocci, Jerry Borwick, Charlie Brooks, Dean Carothers, Owen Cobb, Jason Connel, Donna Farnsworth, Jean Phillipe Cypress, Mike Fesmire, Jarrett Gaza, Norm Gilbert, Beth Gwinn, Caitlin Harris, Chris Hollo, Melody Hood, Hal Jaffee, Michelle Winter Johnson, Eddie Lambert, Sheilah Lansky, Scott Lee, Jon Morgan, Stephanie Mullins, Bob Patterson, Christine Patterson, Liz Power, Terry Power, Richard Ramsey, Sheri Reno, Alexis Robbins, Billy Ross, Bob Schatz, Nola Swartz, Jan Shivley, Diana Simpson, Jason Simpson, Tom Stanford, Clark Thomas, Wade Tipton, Don Tritt, Beth Valentine, Christine Winter.

For more information on how you can help or donate to Gift for a Child/Heart Gallery Tennessee, visit www.giftforachild.org or email Elaine Cash at ecash@giftforachild.org.