Opening Hearts: Foster Children the Focus of Library Exhibit

This article is about a photography exhibit by volunteers showcasing foster children from Massachusetts. It is designed by the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange to "increase awareness about adoption from foster care." It is on display in the Worcester Public Library.

"Ms. Yanover volunteered last year to take photos for “the Heart Gallery” exhibit, designed by the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange to increase awareness about adoption from foster care. Twelve photos of foster children and teens, each taken by different photographers, are on display in the main foyer of the library, and will remain there through March.

According to Ms. Halpern, there are as many as 10,000 children in foster care throughout the state. About 75 percent of these children are in foster care temporarily. For the other 25 percent, “it becomes clear the problem that brought them into foster care is not going to be fixed,” she said.

MARE advocates for these children, and currently has 518 in its caseload, including 60 from Central Massachusetts. Last year, MARE helped find permanent homes for 157 children, with each of these children being placed an average of 1.3 years after registering with MARE. The average age of the children placed last fiscal year was eight."