Our History and Dave’s Story

Dave's Commitment to Adoption

Our story began in 1990 when Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s®, who was adopted, 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.

Four adults in formal attire are socializing indoors at a foster care support foundation event; two women shake hands in the foreground while two men stand behind them, smiling and talking. Paintings and decorative items adorn the room.

Spreading the Word

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.

Two older men in suits sit at a table, one speaking into a microphone and gesturing as the other listens. A plastic cup sits on the table, with a blurred audience—perhaps gathered for an adoption charities event—in the background.

Dave's Legacy Continues Today

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.

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

Hear the Words of Dave Thomas About Why Our Mission Matters

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Read more about Dave's legacy

Foundation Timeline and Milestones

  • Blue background with gold confetti and text: “celebrating 15,000 adoptions.” The numbers feature photos of smiling children and families. Logos for Dave Thomas Foster Care Support Foundation and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids appear below. Confetti falls over large text reading celebrating 15,000 adoptions with photos of diverse families inside the numbers. Below are the logos for Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a leading foster care support foundation, and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.
    2025

    The Foundation celebrates finding permanent families for more than 15,000 children in foster care across the U.S. and Canada.

  • Blue background with text Milestone 14,000 Adoptions and logos for Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, two leading adoption nonprofits championing foster care support foundation initiatives.
    2024

    The Foundation celebrates finding permanent families for more than 14,000 children in foster care across the U.S. and Canada.

  • A holiday card with the text “A Home for the Holidays,” featuring a snowy scene of children walking inside a Christmas ornament, with warm lights and pine branches, highlighting the importance of foster care support foundations.
    2023

    The Foundation celebrates finding permanent families for 13,000 children who had lingered in foster care across the United States and Canada. The 25th A Home for the Holidays special airs in December.

  • Graphic with blurred lights background. Text reads: “MILESTONE 11,000 Adoptions.” Logos for Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids—leading adoption nonprofits—appear at the bottom.
    2021

    The Foundation celebrates more than 11,000 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.

  • 2019

    The Foundation celebrates more than 9,500 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, including 1,000 in Ohio which was the first state to fully expand the program.

  • Logos for two organizations: blue meridian partners in black text with a blue line above partners, and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption—one of the leading adoption nonprofits—with a heart and child icon on a red background.
    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.The Foundation celebrates more than 7,500 adoptions through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.

  • Logos of The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption with the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program, leading adoption nonprofits, displayed on a light gray patterned background.
    2016

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

  • A red background with light spots features the text: Milestone 5,000 Adoptions, along with logos for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, celebrating achievements in foster care support foundation work.
    2015

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

  • A holiday card with the text “A Home for the Holidays,” featuring a snowy scene of children walking inside a Christmas ornament, with warm lights and pine branches, highlighting the importance of foster care support foundations.
    2014

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

  • A confident older woman with short gray hair, wearing a gray blazer and black top, stands with arms crossed in front of a yellow wall with framed photos at an adoption nonprofit.
    2013

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

  • A solid red silhouette of Ohio, symbolizing foster care support foundation efforts, is centered on a dark, diagonally striped background. The abbreviation OH is displayed in white text inside the state's outline.
    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.

  • A graphic with a red banner stating, 5-Year Study Reveals Children Served by Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Are up to 3x More Likely to be Adopted. Below are the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and foster care support foundation logos.
    2011

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

  • Text reads: “Milestone: 1,000 Adoptions.” Below are the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids logos on a blue, blurred background—celebrating leading adoption charities making a difference.
    2009

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

  • A row of glass, diamond-shaped awards on a table, accompanied by white certificates or programs, honors leaders from adoption nonprofits with a blurred background of a banquet hall.
    2008

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

  • Two young women sit together on a porch step, smiling and laughing. Their easy joy reflects the hope brought by foster care support foundation programs that help youth feel relaxed, happy, and cared for.
    2007

    In 2007, the Foundation establishes Wendy’s Wonderful Kids’ footprint in all 50 states and D.C. and launches in Canada, with the first grant issued in Ontario. Additionally, Child Trends begins conducting a national evaluation, studying the outcomes for youth in foster care served by Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.

  • Crumpled paper background featuring the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption logo and text: BEST Adoption-Friendly Workplace™ EST. 2007 with a red bar across the bottom—highlighting leading adoption charities and ways to donate to foster care.
    2007

    The Foundation launches the Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list.

  • A speaker stands at a clear podium on stage at the Down Syndrome Association’s 2024 Summit, with a large event banner displayed behind them and water bottles on the podium, representing collaboration with foster care support foundation initiatives.
    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.

  • Logo for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a leading adoption charity and foster care support foundation, and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, with a red banner at the bottom reading EST. 2004 on a textured white background.
    2004

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

  • A group of six people, including adults and children, stand outdoors on a grassy hill, smiling at the camera. They wear warm jackets, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background—representing an adoption nonprofits family moment.
    2003

    The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption-Canada is created.

  • A group of children and a smiling elderly man sit together on outdoor steps. Surrounded by kids from diverse backgrounds, he embodies the joy foster care support foundation brings, with everyone smiling among trees and greenery in the background.
    2002

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

  • Text on a blue patterned background reads “2002 Adoption Attitudes Survey.” At the bottom is the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption logo and tagline: “Finding Forever Families for Children in Foster Care,” highlighting their leadership among adoption nonprofits.
    2002

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

  • Text graphic on crumpled paper background reads: National Adoption Day. Celebrating a Family for Every Child. Est. 2000. Features a heart with three figures holding hands, and spotlighting adoption nonprofits on a red banner at the bottom.
    2000

    A a coalition of national partners, including the Foundation, which established National Adoption Day in 1999, celebrates this special event for the first time in seven states.

  • An older man in a suit speaks at a podium with a microphone. Behind him are a U.S. flag and a large poster of a postage stamp promoting child adoption and supporting adoption charities.
    1999

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

  • A festive holiday card shows a glass ornament with children walking in a snowy landscape, hanging on a tree. Text reads, A Home for the Holidays. Red and green colors create a warm feel—perfect to support your favorite foster care foundation this season.
    1998

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

  • An older man in a suit speaks into a microphone at a formal event, gesturing as he discusses the impact of foster care foundations. Another suited man with glasses sits beside him, with others from adoption nonprofits visible in the background.
    1997

    Dave Thomas testifies before Congress in support of an adoption tax credit that aims to make adoption more affordable.

  • Bill Clinton shakes hands with an older man in a suit as Hillary Clinton stands between them, smiling and clapping during an event supporting adoption charities. Other people and a decorative background are visible in the room.
    1995

    The White House holds an Adoption Month event hosted by Dave Thomas, the Foundation and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

  • A group of diverse children, including a girl in a wheelchair, gather around an older man in a tie, smiling outdoors. A doll, pitcher, and colorful cups are on the table—a heartwarming moment supported by foster care foundation efforts.
    1993

    The Foundation partners with Wendy’s to create a foster care adoption public service announcement, featuring Dave Thomas.

  • Logo of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a leading foster care foundation, with the text Forever Families for Children in Foster Care and EST. 1992 on a textured white background with a red stripe.
    1992

    The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is founded on July 31.

  • Two women and two men in formal attire greet each other indoors; one woman shakes hands with a man while the others smile nearby. A framed painting hangs on the wall, evoking the spirit of adoption charities and foster care support foundation efforts.
    1990

    Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s and an adoptee, accepts President Bush’s invitation to be spokesperson for a national adoption awareness initiative.

Learn about more milestones of impact that our caring community makes possible.
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