Currently, there are over 5,550 children in foster care in Mississippi. Of those, 468 are available for adoption, and 74 do not have adoptive homes identified, according to state data.
The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services has partnered with Southern Christian Service for Children and Youth to construct a large gallery of photographs of children currently anticipating adoption with The Heart Gallery display—set to travel across the country as part of the nationally-recognized awareness month.
MDCPS also launched a public service announcement focusing on adoption through profiling an adoptive mother, Judge Rhea Sheldon, and Gov. Phil Bryant, set to air across the state. A mass adoption event will be held Nov. 28 in Columbia, with other events being hosted throughout the month. For a list of events across the state, visit mdcps.ms.gov.
To view the Mississippi photos, visit mdcps.ms.gov/mississippi-heart-gallery/.