At the heart of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s work is the belief that justice and the right to be free of fear and harm must be equally applied to all of our children.
Racism and hate can have no home in our hearts
The murders of so many Black Americans are a tragic reminder that injustice and inequality continue to pierce the heart of America and wound our friends, neighbors and fellow citizens.
The Foundation is steadfast in our commitment to act in support of Black communities to advocate for policies that end 400 years of structural racism, address the overrepresentation and elevated negative outcomes of Black children in America’s foster care system, and promote equitable opportunities for every child. Black lives matter.
The Foundation emphatically renounces bullying, harassment and hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). We condemn not only recent acts of violence but also the long-standing discrimination and stereotyping that have impacted AAPI communities within our society.
We also denounce anti-Semitism, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, and the hateful rhetoric, bullying or violence directed at any faith or people group.
We believe in equal access to services
Denial of access to services based on sexual orientation, identity or religion, for either children in care or the families who step forward to assist them, can never be in the best interest of our communities. Further, when public funding is accepted by the agencies who complete this work, equal access to services must be guaranteed to all. Grantees of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption are required to sign a non-discrimination statement.
We support all children
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption believes that all children and youth deserve loving, forever families. This belief does not change based on a child’s age, race, religious affiliation, color, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical disability or any other characteristic.
We support all families
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption supports any foster or adoptive family ― regardless of parent structure, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, race or religious affiliation ― that is the right fit for the child and can provide a safe, permanent home.
Children belong with family
Children are best able to grow and thrive within nurturing families. As such, children should only be removed from their family of origin due to documented abuse or neglect, and every effort must first be made to avoid removal or to reunify as quickly as possible. When that option no longer exists because of a permanent legal termination of parental rights, we must do everything we can to ensure that youth do not leave the foster care system at age 18 or 21 without the security and support of a permanent family.
Similarly, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption grieves for each and every child who is subjected to the extreme emotional trauma of family separation at the United States border and for those who arrive unaccompanied by an adult. We renounce any policy that allows for the continuation of this practice or fails to address the systemic issues resulting in the inhumane treatment of these children.
We must work together to create a future that our children deserve and one that upholds and celebrates the hope of childhood and justice and equality for all.
— Rita Soronen, President & CEO, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
