Foster Children Focus Of National Adoption Month Efforts

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- November is National Adoption Awareness Month -- but for kids in search of a loving home, the cause is never ending.

Right now, there are more than 100,000 children under the age of 18 available for adoption through the foster care system in the United States, CBS2's Cindy Hsu reported.

Many of the children's pictures have been displayed by Heart Gallery NYC -- most recently at Penn Station. The nonprofit partners with professional photographers to help find forever homes for children in foster care.

"Just because someone's older, there may be a few barriers to knock down from all the time they've maybe been without a family," Laurie Sherman Graff, of Heart Gallery NYC, said. "But the rewards are so great."

Wallace Seay, of Catholic Guardian Services, has been working to find homes for children for 40 years.

"There's an enormous need," Seay said. "Most of the children are coming into care now are coming in 14 or older."

Alexus Delgado was 10 years old when she first joined her forever family as a foster child. Now, the 16-year-old remembers the challenges.

"It was kind of rough for me, with the change and everything, but as the years gone by it's just gotten easier," Delgado said.

When she joined her new family, Delgado also gained two sisters. Rashida Hawkins, Delgado's foster mother, said adopting an older child isn't easy, but it teaches you a lot.

"She's just pushed me to do what I have to do and just never give up, and I really appreciate that," Delgado said.

Delgado hopes to one day become a doctor.