Houston Heart Gallery Exhibit at Willowbrook Mall Aims to Help Foster Children Find Forever Families
A powerful and emotional exhibit is quietly inviting shoppers to pause and reflect. Tucked by the food court entrance of Willowbrook Mall, the Houston Heart Gallery Exhibit is on display daily—featuring striking portraits of local children in the foster care system who are still waiting for a permanent place to call home.
The exhibit is part of a growing national movement known as the Heart Gallery, and it’s being brought to the Houston area by BEAR—Be A Resource for CPS Kids, a nonprofit that supports children involved with Child Protective Services (CPS) in Harris County. Through thoughtfully curated photographs and short biographies, the display puts a spotlight on youth who are often overlooked—particularly older children, sibling groups, and those with special needs.
According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, more than 3,000 children in Harris County are currently in CPS custody. Without visibility and advocacy, many of them face the very real possibility of aging out of the system without ever being adopted.
The Heart Gallery directly addresses this crisis. Nationwide, children with these specific needs have a less than 1% chance of being adopted before adulthood. But when their stories are featured in a Heart Gallery exhibit, that likelihood increases to 60%, based on national Heart Gallery of America impact reports. This initiative doesn’t just raise awareness—it changes outcomes.
BEAR: Supporting CPS-Involved Children Since 1997
Founded in 1997, BEAR (Be A Resource for CPS Kids) is a Houston-based nonprofit working closely with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to serve the needs of abused and neglected children under CPS care in Harris County.
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Their mission is to provide critical resources and emotional support for children from crisis through recovery. BEAR operates several key programs year-round:
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BEAR Necessities provides emergency items such as clothing, diapers, and hygiene kits for children entering care with little or nothing.
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BEARing Gifts delivers toys and holiday gifts to over 12,000 children annually.
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BEAR Back to School equips students in care with backpacks and essential school supplies.
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BEAR Heart Gallery, their newest initiative, aims to give foster children a better chance of being adopted by publicly sharing their stories in a compassionate and dignified way.
How the Community Can Help
Residents across Greater Houston can support the Houston Heart Gallery and BEAR’s mission in a variety of ways:
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Visit the Exhibit: Stop by the Heart Gallery, located by the food court entrance at Willowbrook Mall, to learn more about the children and how to support them.
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Donate: Make a tax-deductible donation online at bearesourcehouston.org/donate to help fund BEAR’s year-round programs.
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Shop Their Wish List: Provide urgently needed items by shopping BEAR’s Amazon Wish List here.
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Volunteer: Host a donation drive, sponsor a seasonal event, or sign up to assist with program logistics.
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Share: Simply spreading the word—about the exhibit, the organization, and the need—can help connect children to their forever families.
A Gallery with Purpose
The Heart Gallery is more than an art display—it’s a beacon of hope. By sharing the stories of children still waiting for homes, BEAR and its partners invite the community to step into the lives of these youth, if only for a moment. For some, that moment may be the start of something life-changing.
To learn more about BEAR or get involved, visit bearesourcehouston.org.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
