The Heart Gallery is a traveling photographic and audio exhibit created to find forever families for children in foster care. The Heart Gallery of Broward is a part of the Heart Gallery of America and is a collaborative project of over 80 Heart Galleries across the United States designed to increase the number of adoptive families for children needing homes in our community.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.HEARTGALLERYOFBROWARD.ORG

Staff Report

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – In celebration of 50 years of service to children in Broward County, Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) invites the community to its 16th Annual “Helping Turn Lives Around” luncheon on May 19 at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66.

During this inspirational event, CHS will present its highest honor, the 2017 R. David and I. Lorraine Thomas Child Advocate of the Year Award, to the Heart Gallery of Broward County.

Established in 1982 by the late Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s International, the R. David and I. Lorraine Thomas Child Advocate Award is the single highest honor given by Children’s Home Society of Florida, recognizing individuals and groups that have made a significant impact toward improving the lives of neglected, abused or abandoned children throughout Florida.

The Heart Gallery is a traveling photographic and audio exhibit created to find forever families for children in foster care. The Heart Gallery of Broward is part of the Heart Gallery of America and is a collaborative project of over 80 Heart Galleries across the United States designed to increase the number of adoptive families for children needing homes in our community.

CHS works closely with the Heart Gallery of Broward County to find adoptive families for children living at the I. Lorraine Thomas Emergency Shelter who are unable to ever safely return to their biological families.

“The Heart Gallery of Broward County has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our community’s most vulnerable children,” said Julie Schneider, Executive Director of Children’s Home Society of Florida. “We are unequivocally privileged to present this organization with our 2017 R. David and I. Lorraine Thomas Child Advocate Award.”

Those interested in attending the event can RSVP to Angela.Beers@chsfl.org.