Jasmine
Adopted
Gabriel
13 years old
Adopted
Where Hope Finds a Home.
"Positivity is my strength."
Meet Gabriel, "a natural born leader." Intelligent and hardworking, this honor roll student relishes the chance to help his peers in the classroom. Gabriel thrives at school where his teachers applaud his work ethic and generosity with tutoring others. Gabriel too is proud of his efforts and hopes to be famous someday for "helping people out and giving back to others." Math's his favorite subject, but Gabriel also enjoys reading books that teach a skill, like crafting origami or making things. Emotionally intelligent as well, Gabriel's proudest moments are when "I am behaving and earning 100% for my behavior. I only like to get the best, which is 100%." For fun, Gabriel loves boxing, playing sports and drawing, and thinks his friends would describe him as "smart, extraordinary, and loving." Despite his past, Gabriel believes "I have things in life most kids don't -- food, clothes, and a roof over my head -- so I'm very grateful." Outgoing and talkative, he enjoys sharing facts, and takes an avid interest in many different subjects and topics. Gabriel says the most important thing he learned this year is "with great power comes great responsibility." This wise and wonderful child will steal your heart, and needs patience and positive reinforcement to reach his potential. Like anyone, Gabriel craves emotional stability, love and acceptance that he has yearned for. He's bonded with his siblings, and a future family would ideally be open to keeping those bonds active and strong. He holds a strong sense of family and hopes very much to find his forever home soon. As Gabriel writes, "I just want to be loved by a family and have a family to love back."
FAQs
If a child in foster care is in the Heart Gallery, reunification with their biological family was not possible so an adoptive family is needed. Most Heart Gallery children are at least 9 years old, part of a sibling group, and/or have special needs. All children in foster care have experienced abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect; therefore, need support to heal from the trauma they have experienced.
All children are different, with a variety of unique strengths and needs so all types of families are needed. In Florida, you must be at least 21 to adopt a child from foster care. There are no restrictions based on age, race, marital status, or sexual orientation. You may live in a home or apartment that you own or rent. Adoptive parents must have a stable income sufficient to support their family.
In Florida, there is no cost to adopt a child from foster care. In fact, families who adopt may qualify for a monthly adoption subsidy. Health care for children adopted from foster care is covered by Medicaid until age 18. They also receive free tuition at any Florida state college, university, or vocational school.
Federal tax credits and exemptions may also be available. Visit the IRS website to learn more.
Prospective adoptive parents must complete Adoption Orientation, a 36-hour Professional Parenting course, have an approved home study, and approved background screenings. Most importantly, you must be willing to make a lifelong commitment to a child in need.
Yes. One of the benefits of adopting from Florida is having access to a comprehensive case history. You will be given information on the child’s background, medical history, and personality. This information helps you determine if your family is the right fit for the child.
This can vary greatly depending on the situation. However, as a general rule, it usually takes about 12 months from the time a family begins training to the time when a child is placed with the family.
Yes! Your approved home study should be accepted by any child welfare agency. Each circumstance will be assessed to determine if it is appropriate for a child to move out of state. Keep in mind these adoptions can be more complex and take longer, depending on the case.
Adoptions appear to be more stable when parents have flexible and realistic expectations for their children and when they use post-adoption supports to help with challenges.
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