– About Us –

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national, nonprofit public charity dedicated to finding forever families for the more than 140,000 children waiting to be adopted from foster care in the United States and Canada. Through its signature program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids®️, the Foundation supports the hiring of adoption professionals, known as recruiters, who serve children most at risk of aging out of foster care without a permanent home.

The Foundation works closely with child welfare advocates and policymakers, provides free resources about foster care adoption and raises awareness through social media campaigns, public service announcements and events.

Mission

Dramatically increase the number of adoptions of children waiting in North America’s foster care systems.

Vision

Every child will have a permanent home and loving family.

Core Beliefs

Every child deserves a safe, loving and permanent family.

No child should linger in foster care or leave the system without a permanent family.

Every child is adoptable.

History

Our story began in 1990 when Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s, accepted President George H.W. Bush’s invitation to be the spokesperson for a national adoption awareness campaign. However, Dave knew he could do more. In 1992, he established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Over the years, Dave’s modest charisma and simple sincerity helped spread the word about adoption. In 1997, he testified before Congress to support an adoption tax credit that aimed to make adoption more affordable. He also appeared in public service announcements, expanded his reach to Canada and led the initiative to create an adoption stamp, which was issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 2000.

On January 8, 2002, Dave passed away and the world lost one of its greatest advocates for children. Dave Thomas was respected for being a talented businessman and a caring philanthropist; his unceasing desire to improve the lives of North America’s most vulnerable children was arguably his greatest contribution to society. Learn more about Dave’s legacy and his lasting impact.

For more than 30 years, the Foundation has continued its pursuit of Dave’s goal of finding forever families for children in foster care.

Timeline

2023

The Foundation celebrates finding permanent families for 13,000 children who had lingered in foster care across the United States and Canada.

2022

The Foundation celebrates more than 12,000 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids. Statewide expansion of the program begins in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

2021

The Foundation celebrates more than 11,000 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids. Statewide expansion of the program begins in Indiana.

2021

The Foundation celebrates 10,000 adoptions through the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program in the United States and Canada.

2020

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids expands statewide in Michigan and Nevada.

2019

The Foundation celebrates more than 9,500 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids. Statewide expansion of the program begins in Oklahoma.

2019

The Foundation celebrates more than 1,000 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids in Ohio, which was the first state to fully expand the program with 56 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters statewide.

2018

Statewide expansion of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids begins in Colorado and Utah.

2017

The Foundation celebrates more than 7,500 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.

2017

Statewide expansion of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids begins in Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina and Washington.

2017

Supported by a large-scale philanthropic investment from Blue Meridian Partners, the Foundation launches an aggressive, multi-year business plan to scale Wendy’s Wonderful Kids in all 50 states.

2016

The Foundation receives a one-year planning grant from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation to take Wendy’s Wonderful Kids to scale.

2015

The Foundation celebrates more than 5,000 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.

2014

The Foundation, with its partner Children’s Action Network, receives an Adoption Excellence Award for A Home for the Holidays from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.

2013

The Foundation’s President & CEO, Rita Soronen, testifies before Congress in support of increasing adoptions from foster care.

2012

The state of Ohio commits to an innovative public/private partnership with the Foundation to take Wendy’s Wonderful Kids to scale across the state.

2011

The Foundation implements the “Unadoptable is Unacceptable” campaign, with the release of a groundbreaking 5-year rigorous evaluation of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids that shows children served by the program are up to three times more likely to be adopted.

2009

The Foundation celebrates 1,000 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.

2008

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids wins an Adoption Excellence Award the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.

2007

National Adoption Day is celebrated at the White House and in all 50 states and D.C.

2007

The Foundation launches the Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list.

2006

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids grows to include a recruiter in all 50 states and D.C.

2005

The Foundation hosts the first Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Summit, an annual event that convenes adoption recruiters from across North America for professional learning, networking and inspiration to advance their critical work in finding forever families for children in foster care.

2004

The Foundation’s signature program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, is created and launched in seven pilot cities.

2003

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption-Canada is created.

2002

The nation mourns Dave Thomas’ passing, but the work of his Foundation continues.

2002

Commissioned the first national foster care adoption attitudes survey to be conducted every five years to inform awareness-building efforts.

2000

A collaboration led by the Foundation launches National Adoption Day in seven states.

1999

Dave Thomas partners with the U.S. Postal Service to create and promote the Adoption Stamp that is issued nationwide the following year.

1998

A partnership with Children’s Action Network and CBS Television creates the first A Home for the Holidays, featuring top Hollywood talent and successful adoption stories.