Marie
Conti, co‑director of Arizona Heart Gallery,
and Kathleen’s mom, said she couldn’t resist getting
involved after learning about the Heart Gallery.
“The
more I heard the stories, the more my heart broke
for the lives they’ve had in the past,” Marie says.
“With Heart Gallery, they’ve got a chance at a future.”
“I
ask you to think again, look again,” Marie told
the crowd. “They want someone to call Mom. They’re
the forgotten children. They were forgotten by me
until we got involved.”
The
Heart Gallery will travel to different locations
throughout the state to increase the kids’ visibility,
Marie says.
“It’ll
travel to northern Arizona during the hot months,”
she says. “The different venues donate space. At
first Kathleen wanted to just take the photos of
the kids. I said ‘Why don’t you just start a Heart
Gallery?’ We tried to get it going in Tucson, but
we didn’t have any connections. We didn’t know anyone.
Frances Nichols, manager of MonOrchid Gallery, called
and offered her gallery and from there it started
rolling.”
Nichols,
now co‑director of the Heart Gallery, says
she sees the Heart Gallery as a way to get involved
in a worthwhile project.
“We
watched a segment about Heart Gallery on a “20/20”
special,” Nichols recalls. “We were so moved. We
went online and Marie’s name was the only one listed
in Arizona. We found out nothing was happening.
I was actually thrilled to learn we didn’t have
a Heart Gallery here. So we volunteered this space.
It was just the right time. It’s been a joy, just
a joy.
“In
some areas the adoptions have increased 40–50 percent,”
Nichols says. “We are the bridge to let the public
know we have kids who need homes. I volunteer a
lot, but this is the first time I’ve ever been involved
in a project of this magnitude.”
The
realization she could make a difference came when
a tragic incident involving her daughter’s boyfriend
opened her eyes.
“I
realized every child should have their own room,
their own space in this world,” she says. “I knew
this is what I was supposed to do.”
Granito
says her pitch to Parade Magazine was the turning
point for her grassroots organization.
“At
first they turned me down saying it wasn’t a big
enough project,” she says. “I told them they could
help make it a big project. After it came out in
January, 2005, I was getting about 600 e‑mails
a day. Then we were featured on the “Today Show,”
in the New York Times and People. Private industry
is starting to help. It helps that we have a high
profile celebrity like Randy Travis on the board
of directors.
“After
the first year, my boss didn’t want to continue,”
Granito says. “She was like ‘OK, what’s next?’ If
I had let her win, we wouldn’t have continued. These
kids now have faces. I really believe in serendipity.
The time is right now for these kids to come out.
Lots of kids are finding homes or are drawing interest.
We need to see these kids everywhere we go.”
Granito’s
passion for her work is obvious when a visitor watches
her face light up talking about the kids.
“I’m
overwhelmed on behalf of these kids,” she says.
“There’s nothing easy about this whole process.
We can create a brighter future for them. I firmly
believe there’s a home for every child.”
Gallery
visitors were obviously impressed with the presentation.
“I
thought it was very well‑done,” said Carla
Landwerth, director of operations for AmeriPsych,
one of the agencies contracted by the state to recruit
and provide training for prospective families. “The
photographers did such a good job of presenting
the kids in their best light.
“The
Heart Gallery is such a unique perspective and a
unique setting to display the kids’ images,” Landwerth
said. “It has such a powerful impact. I hope lots
of people go to see it. I’m thrilled that Kathleen
and Marie had the insight to put this together.”
And
what about the 15‑year‑old who started
the ball rolling in Arizona?
“I
just turned 18 three weeks ago,” Kathleen says.
“I just wanted to help in some way. At first I just
wanted to be one of the photographers. I found out
Arizona hadn’t heard about the Heart Gallery and
I wasn’t sure what to do next. My mom told me I
should start one myself. Most people didn’t think
I could accomplish anything because I was a kid.
