About Us
Our mission focuses on "hard-to-place" and at-risk foster children
The Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation was created to raise and manage funds to support the efforts of The Heart Gallery of New Mexico and other related programs and events. Heart Gallery was founded in Santa Fe NM in 2001. The concept has spread to all 50 states and internationally. Thousands of foster children have found safe loving forever families as a result.
An additional purpose of the Foundation is to educate the public and raise awareness of the need for adoptive and foster care families for New Mexico's foster children.
The Foundation promotes private and public partnerships and encourages community efforts to fund, support and facilitate The Heart Gallery and similar programs for New Mexico's children in protective custody as well as empowering youth aging out of foster care without a family, through educational assistance, immediate personal needs and life skills training to aid in the successful transition to becoming productive citizens.
The Heart Gallery Portraits: Finding families for foster children since 2001
HGNMF was founded in 2006 to support The Heart Gallery of New Mexico, a successful but then-unfunded CYFD program in which talented photographers donate portraits which capture the true spirit of New Mexico foster children dreaming of finding a "forever family." Thanks to HGNMF support, these stirring portraits now appear in exhibits around the state and on adoption websites. Since its birth in New Mexico in 2001, The Heart Gallery program has received national acclaim and media coverage, and has become a model for nearly every state and Canada (see heartgalleryofamerica.org). Thousands of foster children, including many in New Mexico, have been adopted through The Heart Gallery.
Heart Gallery Locations
With the support of these community partners in donating public space to display Heart Galleries, the portraits taken by professional photographers who donate their time, more forever families are found every day.
Printed Galleries: Albuquerque International Sunport, Belen Community Center, Carlsbad Mall, Clovis Mall, Future Foundations, Pepper's Market, Silver City Bowl, UNM Hospital, UNM Pit, Wendy's Chavez County, Wendy's Eddy County, Wendy's Lea County
Museum and Expo Digital Galleries: African American Performing Arts Center, National Hispanic Cultural Center, NM Farm & Ranch Heritage, NM Natural History & Science, NM Space History Museum, NM Space History IMAX Threatre
Hospital Digital Galleries: Artesia General Hospital, Champion Hospital, Christus St. Vincent, Nor Lea, Presbyterian, Lovelace Main Lobby, Lovelace ER Lobby, Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital, Lovelace Regional Hospital, Memorial Medical Center Mountain View Medical Center, Rehoboth McKinley, San Juan Regional Medical Center, Ventana, San Juan Regional Medical Center, Que Pasa
Other digital units: Governor's Reception Lobby, Office of the Cabinet Secretary, White Sands Mall, International Balloon Museum, NMSU Pan Am Center, UNM Pit
Running our programming without signage: Wendy's, 1801 Central, Gibson Medical Building, Other Albuquerque Wendy's coming soon
PSA Outreach: Allen Theatres, MVD Express -- 9 locations
Adoption Events
HGNMF partners with CYFD to host four themed annual events where foster children enjoy enriching experiences while spending the day with approved, unmatched adoptive parents. Dozens of NM children and teens have met their forever families at these events. New teen-only workshops focus on providing foster teens who still want to be adopted with skills and learning experiences such as music, cooking and photography, while they spend time with families interested in adopting teens. The teens keep their equipment and instructions so they can continue to develop their talent and skills on their own.
Helping Foster Teens "Age Out"
Hundreds of New Mexico foster teens "age out" of the system without being adopted each year. HGNMF provides crucial support to them, including helping with life skills training and providing furniture and household goods. Children and youth still in foster care can also apply for things like tutoring, musical instruments, and computers.
How You Can Help
HGNMF fills a void that exists in New Mexico—assisting marginalized, at-risk foster children. Your support goes directly to help them find families or to offer them a chance at a brighter future on their own. The Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation is a registered 501c3 organization. Please consider donating or sponsoring today to help our deserving foster youth and children.