About the Gallery

Mission

Family Support Services of North Florida (FSS) is a non-profit organization established to perform the role of Lead Agency in the Community Based Care project in Duval County and Nassau County, Florida.

The Heart Gallery of North Florida was developed by FSS with coordinated efforts from community-based care partners, volunteer photographers and corporate supporters, to bring foster children out of the shadows and into the light, with the hope of finding them a forever family.

Heart Gallery History

In 2001, as a foster and adoptive parent recruiter for the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department, Diane Granito had the honor of developing an idea from photographer (and adoptive mother) to have talented photographers create inspiring portraits of children and sibling groups who were waiting for adoption.

At the time, social services agencies used whatever photos of the children they could get, and most were as inspiring as a driver’s license photo. Granito approached a prestigious art gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, about hosting an exhibit of these art-quality portraits.

This is how the "The Heart Gallery," was born. More than 1,200 people attended the opening. County singer/songwriter Randy Travis serenaded the crowd, and connections were made that night leading to the adoption of six Heart Gallery children. We all knew we were on to something special, though what was to come has exceeded every expecttation.

Today

Nearly every state across the nation now has a Heart Gallery––and many have more than one. The U.S. Children's Bureau named the "Heart Gallery" as a best practice in the field of adoption and this recruitment effort has set a precendent for finding families for our waiting children.

The Future

While Heart Gallery exhibits have helped raise awareness about adoption through foster care and have found homes for hundreds of children, there are many more who need our help. More than 119,000 American children are waiting for adoption as you read this. They need any and all support you can provide.