PHOENIX — Finding forever families for foster children — that’s the mission of a national program and online photo portal, working to heighten the visibility of Arizona youth in foster care.
As part of that effort, 12News partnered with the #LoveUp Foundation and Arizona Department of Child Safety to create an extra special experience on Saturday morning for about 20 kids in foster care who are awaiting adoption and in need of a forever home.
It was an experience to remember, and it all took place in the 12News studios in downtown Phoenix as 12News teamed up with the Johnjay and Rich #LoveUp Foundation and DCS for the fourth Children’s Heart Gallery.
The foster youth of Arizona are a priority of Johnjay Van Es from the 'Johnjay and Rich' radio show and his wife, Blake.
“Our #LoveUp Foundation and the Children’s Heart Gallery bring all these kids that are in foster care, and we treat them as something special,” Johnjay Van Es said. “We let them hang out here, see what it’s like to be on TV, but then they also get their hair done, they get makeup done and we take their picture, all in hopes that they will get adopted.”
“All these kids have never had any kind of an experience like this,” Blake Van Es added. “Being at Channel 12 and seeing what happens behind the scenes at TV, it’s so exciting for them.”
The photos they captured of the kids will go onto The Children’s Heart Gallery website. The Heart Gallery project aims to connect children in need with a forever family.
“I mean, it’s definitely a life-changing experience,” said Savannah, a 15-year-old who got in on the fun. “One, you don’t get to do this every day and two, it’s nice to see how many people care.”
16-year-old Gabriel enjoyed the experience too.
“I got some clothes, I got my shoe size, I got breakfast,” he said.
And 15-year-old Santhia loved getting her hair done, picking out some new clothes and doing weather for a mock newscast.
“I was like, 'This is crazy,'” she said. “I’ve never done this before. I love it.”
All the fun was part of a big effort. Right now, there are about 10,900 kids in foster care across Arizona.
“There are so many great kids that really need their forever home in the foster system,” said Nadine Sapien, Santhia’s CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate. “This is a great opportunity to look on the website and get to know a little bit about each one of these kids.”
Sapien said this could truly be a pivotal time in the lives of these kids.
“There are some real treasures out there, and they’re waiting for their family,” she said. “You can provide them hope, a future and stability that they desperately need.”
“There’s hope,” Santhia said. “I have hope and faith within it.”
The kids speaking with 12News are feeling optimistic that their new photos taken for the online Children’s Heart Gallery signify the beginning of a new chapter.
“There’s always room for hope,” Gabriel said.
“I really hope that I do find a family out there,” Savannah said.
To learn more about the Children’s Heart Gallery program, go to: https://www.childrensheartgallery.org/.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, go to: https://www.childrensheartgallery.org/volunteer.
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