Crew In NEW YORK

Malone & Co. crew attends Photo Expo in New York. Check out some of our images from the trip.

11 out of 30: not a bad start

I am excited to say that 11 of the 30 children photographed for the Nebraska Heart Gallery have been placed in adoptive homes.

The Kick-off event on Friday night for the Nebraska Heart Gallery was incredible. We were able to listen to Amy Tan (author of THE JOY LUCK CLUB) speak, enjoyed fabulous food, wine and tremendous company!

What is next for us? Finding a home for the remaining 239 children!

As we move forward and photograph more children, please continue to spread the word as there are so many more children who need homes.

Nebraska Heart Gallery

A special thank you to the women at Child Saving Institute who work hard for these children EVERYDAY!

Relief

Back in March I had the chance to visit one of the coolest cities in America, New Orleans. I invite you all to look at the collection of images I have made available for prints.

KETV Channel 7

http://www.nebraskaheartgallery.org

We love the news crews!

Julie Cornell and photographer Mike Jones of KETV Channel 7 were gracious enough to come to the studio today to cover the Nebraska Heart Gallery. Belinda and Gretchen were photographed by Stephanie Kimberling while being filmed for the news. The story will air Friday 10/21 at 10 PM.

THANKS CHANNEL 7!

The National Heart Gallery

We are thrilled to announce 4 of the children we photographed will be represented in the National Heart Gallery in Washington D.C.

A portion of the email from Diane Granito, organizer of the Heart Gallery in New Mexico

"Dear "Heart Gallery Nation",

On behalf of The "Collaboration to Adopt Us Kids", Adoption Exchange, and the portrait selection committee , I would like to thank all of the Heart Gallery groups who submitted their incredible portraits for consideration for these two exhibits. Your work brought smiles to our faces, or tears to our eyes....sometimes both at once! Each portrait, like each child, is beautiful and deserving of a special place in the world.

On the walk-through in DC recently, I was also amazed by the incredible space the hard-working planners have obtained for these exhibits: Union Station's display will be passed by 80,000 people per day for the 2 weeks it is up, and the gallery of the Russell building is spectacular and complete with columns and other impressive architectural detail; US Senators are housed in the building so it will catch a lot of politicians' eyes, as well as the touring publics'.

We received submissions from dozens of Heart Gallery groups in over 30 states, and will have exhibits which are very representative of our waiting children with respect to ethnicity, age, gender and sibling group/single children. There is also wonderful variety in photographic style, from fun colorful shots to rich black and white portraits. If we could we would have included every portrait in our "DC outreach" we would have done so, but unfortunately space and shipping funds limited us to 50 for each exhibit.

Thank you once again for your dedication, talent and hard work for your very special children.

Diane Granito
Statewide Special Events Co-ordinator
New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department"

The Daily Nebraskan-Heart Gallery article

My brother Mike in Denver forwarded out my blog to co-workers. One of these co-workers has a brother who is a writer for the Daily-Nebraskan.
Please click on the link below to read the article.


Daily Nebraskan - Child institute opens heart in photo gallery

Local Coverage

The Nebraska Heart Gallery is getting local coverage!

WOWT's Tracy Madden came to our studio to interview Jaryd, one of the Heart Gallery kids. The story should air in October near the kick-off event.
I'll be sure to let you know when it airs.

KMTV3 did a piece, interviewing Chalonda and Child Saving Institute. The piece aired 9/19/05.

We are so grateful to the local stations and reporters giving this project their time!

The hopeful search for a forever home: The Nebraska Heart Gallery

My sister Stephanie Heller, who volunteers with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) was the one who told me about the first Heart Gallery in New Mexico. She learned of the concept from an article in Parade Magazine earlier this year. Stephanie is passionate about helping children and she knew a heart gallery would be a wonderful thing for the children in Nebraska needing homes.

In case you aren't familiar with the idea, Heart Galleries are exhibits of photographs of children who need to be adopted. Working with adoption agencies photographers all over the United States have been lending their talent to help children have a better life.

Over the years Malone & Co has adopted families at Christmas, but this was a way to really help. A way to give the ultimate gift, one that cannot be out grown, one that would keep on giving, one that has the potential to be the perfect fit. We have the opportunity to help a child find a home FOREVER.

As Child Saving Institute(CSI) took on The Nebraska Heart Gallery project, Malone & Company agreed to photograph and make prints of 50 of Nebraska's many children currently searching for adoptive homes. Mike and Patty Malone, Geoff Johnson, Andrew Marinkovich, Angela Fehringer, Stephanie Kimberling and myself were all on board! Other area photographers have stepped up as well, and I hope many more will kick in as this continues.

So far our crew at Malone & Co has photographed over 30 children, from age 2 to age 16, sibling groups or indiviually, from the quiet to the energetic. Some opening up to us immediately knowing this was a way to reach out. Others started out tough because they have been hurt and let down so many times. They all ended up happy to think there is a little more hope.

The people at CSI, Shana, Christie and Brenda to name a few, have taken this head on. Working with our schedules, those of the children, case-workers and foster parents, to bring as many children as possible to the attention of caring people who might to give these children a home.

To say the least these children have touched our hearts!

Please meet these children that we are so fond of by visiting this site: Nebraska's Heart Gallery

Please spread the word about this awesome project to anyone, anywhere that you feel might be able to help or could help get the word out. THere will be a kick-off event held in October where large photographs will be on display of children who need to be adopted. The more awareness the better to help make a connection.


For more information about adoption please visit these websites:

Child Saving Institute

Adopt US Kids

Lutheran Family Services

Adoption Links Worldwide

New Mexico's Heart Gallery

New Jersey's Heart Gallery