Adoption gallery

The 188 photos on display at West Park Mall will tug at your heart.

They are the Missouri Adoption Heart Gallery featuring photos by professional photographers, including Pat Patterson of Cape Girardeau. The gallery tours the state hoping to bring caring families and children in need of adoption together.

The photos are having an impact. Since the adoption gallery project was started by the Children's Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services in 2006, more than 100 children have been placed with potential adoptive families.

In addition, the project hopes to interest more families in becoming foster parents. The state licenses about 3,000 foster care and adoptive families each year. The Department of Social Services hopes to increase that number to 5,400 family by next year.

The Adoption Heart Gallery will be at the mall through this weekend. Anyone interest in adoption will have an opportunity to meet with department representatives from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 7 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the mall.

A visit to this special photo display could change your life.