Make a Referral: for social workers

Minnesota county social workers may refer any waiting child/youth in the state to Minnesota Heart Gallery. Once a referral is made, the social worker will be contacted to coordinate the details of the shoot.

After the shoot, youth receive a disk of photos for their own personal use and the workers also receive a disk of photos for recruitment purposes. Select photos will become part of the traveling exhibit and/or may be posted on Minnesota Heart Gallery's website and/or Facebook page for the purpose of raising community awareness of children awaiting adoption from foster care.  A photo will also be provided to MNADOPT for the state adoption exchange on line photo listing of waiting children.

Legal Release for Participation of a Minor
(To be completed by youth's guardian/county social worker)

I understand that the Minnesota Heart Gallery and its volunteers are providing an opportunity for the child named below to participate in a photo shoot to produce professional photos to assist in efforts to recruit a permanent family for the child. I understand that some of the photos taken will become part of Minnesota Heart Gallery and may appear in media, gallery shows, and the online Heart Gallery.

I hereby release, discharge, and agree to hold harmless the Minnesota Heart Gallery and its volunteers, agents, and assigns against any and all rights, claims, demands, suits and action which I/this child and/or I/this child's heirs, executors, assigns or any other person, may have or bring on account of production and/or use of the photographic works, taped interviews, quotes and name of me/this child.

Further, I/this child hereby perpetually authorize the Gallery, their successors, assigns, and those acting under its permission (including, but not limited to, any advertising agency, news medium, and radio or television producer) to use, publish, and copyright for advertising, trade, and any other lawful purpose whatsoever, statements, recordings, interviews, and endorsements made by or attributable to me, verbatim or otherwise, and photographic portraits, drawings, visual representations, video tapes, motion pictures, or other pictures of me or in which I may be included in whole or in part, and any reproductions thereof, made through any medium for use in any advertising, promotional materials or press releases on behalf of Minnesota Heart Gallery or Minnesota Waiting Children. Such authorization shall be without additional compensation to me/the child and without any right to prior inspection or approval of such materials. I understand that there is no obligation on the part of the Minnesota Heart Gallery to make use of the rights set forth herein.

As the youth's guardian/county social worker,

  • I agree to only allow a photo shoot to occur when an authorized adult who knows the youth is available to be present for the entire shoot.

  • I agree to inform the Minnesota Heart Gallery coordinator within two weeks of any change in the youth's adoption status.

  • I am aware that press is invited to many of the displays of the Minnesota Heart Gallery and that it is my responsibility to inform the Minnesota Heart Gallery coordinator if there are any limitations as to where in the state this child's photo may appear.

Note that only youth's first name and age will be included in Heart Gallery displays.

Please contact heartgallery@ampersandfamilies.org if you have concerns or questions about where this photo will be displayed.

By proceeding with this referral, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of Minnesota Heart Gallery. The secure referral link below will take you directly to Ampersand Families' secure database.