By
Erin Coulehan
Photography courtesy of
The Heart Gallery of El Paso
At first glance, it looks like an art show. In a library, at the airport, or tucked into a city park, you might spot a gallery-style portrait – one that instantly grabs your attention. A wide-eyed teen with a hopeful smile. A set of siblings holding hands. A beautiful little girl, her curls catching the sunlight. But these aren’t just portraits, they’re part of the Heart Gallery of El Paso, a growing movement with one powerful goal: to find forever homes for children in foster care.
Launched in November 2023, The Heart Gallery of El Paso is part of a powerful statewide movement that uses photography as a storytelling tool to help youth in foster care find forever families.
Led by Executive Director Vanessa Leon, the organization partners with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to highlight the beauty and potential of children who face the most barriers to adoption.
“These are not just photos; they’re moments that stop you in your tracks,” says Leon. “You might see a portrait and think, ‘Why is this beautiful child on display?’ And then you realize: they’re looking for a home.”
On any given day in Texas, more than 5,000 children are waiting to be adopted. They are older youths. They are siblings who don’t want to be separated. They are kids with medical needs, hopes, and dreams who are waiting for someone to say, “You belong with us.”
In El Paso alone, about 228 children are currently waiting to be adopted, but there are only 21 licensed foster homes in the region.
Many children end up placed far from their community and everything familiar.
That’s why the Heart Gallery matters: it creates awareness, fosters local engagement, and helps kids stay close to home.
In just a few short months, the Heart Gallery of El Paso has already helped place 11 children featured in the Heart Gallery of El Paso into intended to be permanent adoptive placements.
“I attended an adoption recently for a sibling group placed with a couple in Georgia,” Leon recalls. “You could just see the peace on their faces. That’s what success looks like for us.”
But the work doesn’t stop at adoption day.
Thanks to a partnership with CASA of El Paso, the organization also offers post-adoption support by helping families access mental health resources, documentation, and counseling through providers like the El Paso Child Guidance Center.
“Adoption is just the beginning,” Leon says. “We’re here for families every step of the way.”
On May 7, the Heart Gallery hosted “Framing Hope,” its first-ever official fundraiser at La Nube STEAM Discovery Center. The event was a night of inspiration, connection, and impact – with Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott as a special guest, and Mayor Renard Johnson emceeing a live auction.
“As adoptive parents, Greg and I know firsthand the immeasurable joy of being a forever family,” says the First Lady. “By using photography to raise awareness for foster care children, Heart Gallery El Paso is bringing children closer to finding their forever homes.”
The event also showcased the heart of the gallery – its children.
Guests viewed portraits and heard stories, including a powerful interview between Mayor Johnson and Oden, a 15-year-old waiting to be adopted.
“This night is about building community,” Leon says. “It’s about growing our village.”
El Paso’s efforts are one part of a much larger statewide initiative.
Volunteer photographers across Texas are capturing each child’s individuality and spirit in a powerful image that helps tell their story, and one photo can truly change everything. These portraits engage coordinated community networks, helping connect children with families, advocates, and vital resources.
With a decade-long record of success in Central Texas, where adoption rates through the Heart Gallery have consistently outpaced the rest of the state by 22 percent, the Texas Legislature took notice. In 2023, the 88th Legislative Session approved funding to expand this life-changing model across all regions of the state. Working out of the Moritz Center for Societal Impact at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and in partnership with the Texas Center for Child and Family Studies, this initiative is being scaled statewide with a focus on collaboration, training, and post-adoption support.
Over the past year, these efforts have included developing online training tools, mapping out the post-permanency needs of families, and launching a Request for Applications (RFA) process to find qualified regional providers. The goal is clear: improve permanency outcomes and ensure that no child ages out of the foster care system without the support of a loving home.
Locally, the Heart Gallery of El Paso is already making an impact. Since its inception, the gallery has featured 34 children, received 19 new referrals, and celebrated six adoptions. Community outreach is also surging: they’ve hosted 14 community events, nine stakeholder meetings, and 15 info sessions, drawing nearly 700 attendees total. Their web traffic has jumped from just over 700 visits in January to more than 9,000 in August – and when KVIA airs their monthly youth features, that number spikes to over 40,000.
The Heart Gallery of El Paso is proving that portraits are more than just pictures. They’re invitations to care, to connect, and to change lives.
“This job breaks my heart all the time,” Leon admits. “But it’s an honor to be the voice for kids who can’t always speak for themselves. When we connect a child with someone who’s been yearning to become a parent, that’s the most rewarding part of all.”
