In 2025, the Texas Legislature renewed its investment in the Heart Galleries of Texas, committing an additional $12 million to a program that connects children in foster care with permanent, loving families — and supports those families long after adoption day. The renewal brings the state’s total investment to $24 million over four years.
Heart Galleries of Texas is a collaboration between the Moritz Center for Societal Impact, the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing — both within The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work — and the Texas Center for Child and Family Studies, a nonprofit supporting organization of the Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services.
The program began in 2014 with a simple but powerful idea: professional portraits of children and teens waiting for adoption, displayed in galleries across the state to connect them with potential families. But Heart Galleries has grown far beyond the photo. Today, the program surrounds children, youth and families with resources and support throughout their journey to permanency — and for years afterward.
In fiscal year 2025, Heart Galleries awarded $5.9 million to more than 50 organizations statewide to deliver post-adoption services, including emergency assistance, mental health care, respite care and family connection activities. The program also provides training for caregivers and child welfare professionals — building a community that nurtures stability, healing and belonging for a lifetime.
With funding renewed through the 89th Texas Legislature and support from the Texas Governor’s Commission for Women, the Office of the Speaker and the Office of the First Lady, Heart Galleries now operates in all 11 child welfare regions across Texas. Each region has a local Heart Gallery and access to support services for children, teens and families.
The numbers tell a story of statewide impact: more than 1,000 children featured in online galleries and exhibits this year, nearly 1,900 exhibits and over 800 outreach events reaching close to 100,000 Texans. And behind every number is a child — and a family — finding their way home.
UT Social Work provides research expertise and programmatic leadership to this collaboration, ensuring social workers play a central role in strengthening Texas families.