1-Year-Old Girl is the First Adopted Child to Become a Gerber Baby

Adorable 1-Year-Old Girl Is the First Adopted Child to Win Gerber Photo Search Contest

By Emma Taggart on May 13, 2020

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A post shared by @gerber on May 8, 2020 at 6:52am PDT

Back in 1928, baby food company Gerber held a contest to find a face to represent its brand. Artist Dorothy Hope Smith won the competition with her charcoal sketch of a wide-eyed infant with cute curls, and her image became recognized all over the world. Gerber continues to hold the annual Photo Search contest, with the aim to select one child from thousands of entries. The brand recently revealed their choice for 2020, and the winner will melt your hearts. Meet Magnolia Earl, an adorable 1-year-old girl who just made history—she’s the first ever Gerber baby who is adopted!

In recent years, Gerber has made sure to choose winners that represent diversity. In 2018, Lucas Warren became the first Gerber baby who has Down syndrome. And in 2019, Gerber chose a little girl named Kairi, who is of Hmong descent. Since Magnolia Earl is adopted, she represents a family bond that goes beyond biology.

California-based Courtney and Russell Earl welcomed Magnolia into their family the day she was born, and she now has two big sisters, 12-year-old Whitney and 8-year-old Charlotte (who is also adopted). “Magnolia has brought so much joy to everyone she meets. Her personality is beyond happy and joyful,” says Courtney. “Adoption is incredibly special to our family’s story. Winning Photo Search is an opportunity to tell Magnolia’s story and shed light on all the beautiful and different ways families are made.”

Magnolia will be featured in Gerber’s marketing campaigns, and her family will also receive a $25,000 cash prize, a $1,000 voucher for Gerber Childrenswear, $1,000 from Walmart, and phones with a year of free unlimited service from Verizon. However, for the Earl family, the most special prize is to be able to share their story with the world. Courtney says, “When people see our families, or if you see a family that doesn’t necessarily match, that you don’t have to question the belonging of anybody in that family.” Russell added, “A family is built on love. We may all look different, but we’re one family.”

The Earls are in regular contact with Magnolia’s birth parents, who are also delighted by the news. “If you could hear the joy in their voice of how proud they are of this little girl,” Courtney says. “Together with them and our community and our family, we all love this baby girl so much.”

Gerber chose Magnolia as their winner for her “joyful expression, playful smile and warm, engaging gaze.” The brand adds, “Her sunny personality shone right through and melted the judges’ hearts, and we’re sure it will melt yours too!”

Find out more about Magnolia on the Gerber website.