Heart Gallery of Northwest Texas, a program of 2INgage
At the heart of our community, this program is dedicated to finding positive permanency for more than 6,000 children in the Texas foster care system, searching for a sense of belonging and a place to call home. Through professional portraits captured by volunteer photographers, the Heart Gallery connects these children with adults, friends and communities eager to support and celebrate them. Each photograph tells a story of individuality, spirit and hope, igniting the call to welcome these incredible youth into loving forever families. Stay tuned for upcoming events and opportunities where you can make a difference in a child’s life. Together, let’s work towards a future where every child finds their forever home.
Recently, Oak Street Baptist Church in Graham, TX, allowed us to use their space to host a foster parent and CASA recruitment event. They are also the host of our first Heart Gallery exhibit! We are thankful for their continued support of our work!
If you are interested in volunteering or want to learn more about the Heart Gallery of Northwest Texas, click HERE!
August 21, 2024 – Casandra Browne, Director of Permanency Support, and Desirae Boucher, Permanency Supervisor, were able to take part in the Snyder Area Safety Summit held by Texas Department of Transportation (TXDot).
Casandra and Desirae were able to present about the work 2INgage is currently doing within the community they cover as well as provide training on Human Trafficking including what it is and how to identify red flags within the community they serve.
September 13, 2024 – William Merion, TXPop Site Coordinator, spoke at the Betty Hardwick Center about the Multisystemic Therapy Program. Which supports children and youth, drawing on his experience as a CPS supervisor and owner of Sockdolager Brewing Company. He engaged participants in a team-building challenge to construct the tallest tower using twine, marshmallows, tape, and uncooked spaghetti.
Teams showcased creativity, even standing on desks and stacking chairs for support.
After the exercise, Merion encouraged participants to reflect on their roles—whether they led, supported, felt misplaced, or were creative thinkers. He used an image of the fellowship from Lord of the Rings to illustrate that while working towards a common goal, everyone brings different strengths and weaknesses. He emphasized the importance of effective communication, constructive disagreement and leveraging unique talents within successful teams.
Merion also introduced tools and strategies from the Texas Permanency Outcomes Project to help youth and families build supportive teams. His goal was to provide participants with practical strategies for fostering teamwork and support in their professional roles.
September 30, 2024 – October 2, 2024 – Several leaders attended the Texas Alliance Conference in Round Rock Sept 30-Oct. 2, where a family from Region 2 was nominated and named the Adoptive Family of the Year. Listen to their story HERE!
The conference was a great opportunity for 2INgage and TFI staff to collaborate with other SSCCs and service providers throughout the State. Heart Gallery was highlighted and staff was able to attend a mixer with all the other Heart Galleries throughout the State on Tuesday night as well as host the Gospel Breakfast Wednesday morning.
“The conference was informative and a great time to meet individuals we see regularly in person!” – Casandra Browne, Director of Permanency Support
Click HERE to see all of the great things coming up in Region 2!
Morenci Locke
Heart Gallery Coordinator
“Morenci works diligently to make connections in our communities to ensure we have the support we need to successfully set up galleries in the Big Country area. She is thoughtful and creative and creates amazing experiences for our youth!”
– Maggie Brennan, Community Engagement Manager
Crystal Flinn
Heart Gallery Coordinator
“Crystal’s experience in child welfare allows her to uniquely serve our community in her role as Heart Gallery Coordinator. She is passionate about serving our youth and families in the Texoma area and has a lot of great ideas for the future of the Heart Gallery!”
– Maggie Brennan, Community Engagement Manager
