Heart Gallery hires a new director, launches campaign

Taken by professional photographers, the portraits and accompanying bios create an emotional appeal to prospective adoptive families and other caring individuals. To take things over, on Feb. 3, Heart Gallery hired Yvette Dubose as its new executive director.

“We are looking forward to an exciting 2014 with the help of our new executive director, Yvette DuBose,” Michael Boorom, president of the Heart Gallery said.

“Yvette’s strong background in sales and marketing and over 14 years of experience in architectural specifications in marketing and sales will bring a strong leadership to our overall mission and goals.”

DuBose also served 13 years as a board member of the ACTSO Broward and as a mentor to high school students.

“My mother was a foster child and she had a positive experience in her foster home and was later adopted at age 16; it changed her life for the better,” said DuBose. “I truly believe that every child deserves to feel loved and wanted; it is fundamental to the human experience.”

The Heart Gallery’s mission is to provide innovative programs that help to promote the adoption and enrichment of Broward’s foster children. It is one of more than 100 independent heart galleries across the country. It works closely with ChildNet and local foster care providers to seek adoptive families and other connections for children. The first exhibit was introduced in April of 2007.

The Heart Gallery’s initiatives for 2014 are largely its effort to continue to grow and expand through innovative programs and events. Through its “Ask Me” program, children were asked to tell the organization what it is they wanted to experience. From the feedback Heart Gallery will be implementing many of the ideas over the next year. The organization also plans to start a workshop feature to the Ask Me series, to teach the children anything from financial awareness to how to tie a tie.

To help fund programming, Heart Gallery has launched, Campaign 214, an ongoing fundraiser that requests donors to give $214.

“The Heart Gallery seeks ‘to change the face of foster care in Broward’ and heightened the awareness of foster children in need of loving families,” said DuBose.