The Pennsylvania Heart Gallery, a photo exhibit featuring the personal stories of children from 17 counties who are waiting to be adopted, will be on display from Jan. 6-13 at the 2007 Pennsylvania Farm Show. Coordinated by the Department of Public Welfare, the exhibit has traveled across the state from Harrisburg, where it started, to Altoona, Erie, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton, State College and York.

"I am very excited about the warm response the Heart Gallery has received during the first eight months of its tour," said DPW Secretary Estelle B. Richman. "In many cases, the children who have been adopted as a result of being featured in this exhibit have spent their entire lives waiting for a permanent home."

Since its inception in May 2006, 21 of the 50 featured children have been adopted or placed in pre-adoptive homes. The Heart Gallery will be displayed near the Maclay Street entrance to the Farm Show complex, next to the PA Preferred display.

"Because the Heart Gallery visits many different cities, thousands of people get to know the children through their portraits and biographies," Richman explained. "We believe the Pennsylvania Farm Show - with its expected 400,000 visitors - is an ideal place for the Heart Gallery to go on display. Our hope is that it will inspire many more Pennsylvanians to adopt."

Each photo in the Heart Gallery is accompanied by a detailed profile of the featured child, including information about his or her interests, personality and future goals.

As each child is adopted, a special sticker is placed on his or her portrait. For the gallery's first anniversary in May, the exhibit will be updated with photos of other children who are waiting for placement. The portraits of those children who were successfully placed will be given to their adoptive families as a keepsake.

Across the U.S., more than 500,000 children are living in foster care. There are an estimated 20,000 children living in foster care in Pennsylvania and more than 3,400 children are waiting to be adopted.

The Pennsylvania Heart Gallery was developed by the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network, which operates under contract with the Department of Public Welfare. The Heart Gallery concept was developed in 2001 in New Mexico. The first National Heart Gallery exhibit opened in Washington, D.C. in November 2005.