How We Help

Changing the Journey for a Waiting Child

To advance our mission, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption believes it is not only about building an approach that finds forever homes for the longest-waiting children in foster care. It is about understanding the needs and lived experiences of the children and youth we serve, improving access for families who want to adopt from foster care and building an organization that supports the broader child welfare community in North America.

Our Strategic Priorities

The Foundations strategic priorities and signature programs are grounded in research and created with a racial equity lens. We are committed to nurturing a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment for our staff, while advocating for measurable change toward racial equity within the child welfare system.

Actively Fund & Support Youth Permanency Efforts

Through the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® program, we provide funding and establish innovative co-investment partnerships with states to support the hiring of adoption professionals, known as recruiters, who serve children most at risk of aging out of foster care. Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters implement an evidence-based, child-focused recruitment model to find the right family for every child in their care.

To support the continued expansion of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, we are committed to raising awareness and creating resources for child welfare professionals about the importance of achieving legal permanency for every waiting child … no matter their story.

Break Down Barriers to Achieving Permanency

Through programs such as Adoption-Friendly Workplace, we break down barriers for families pursuing adoption. The Foundation encourages employers to provide adoption and foster care benefits, including financial reimbursement for adoption costs and paid leave, and offers a toolkit to help organizations develop their policies. We also share stories of impact to encourage more organizations to develop inclusive policies.

Raise Awareness & Promote Resources

We take a collaborative approach to raising awareness of the urgent need for foster care adoption. We conduct research to better understand beliefs about foster care and adoption and educate through public service announcements, social media and free resources that support the adoption journey.

Nearly 25 years ago, we co-founded National Adoption Day to encourage courts to open their doors on or around the Saturday before Thanksgiving each year to finalize and celebrate adoptions from foster care. To date, National Adoption Day has recognized more than 85,000 children moving from care to a forever family.

Enhance Policy & Provide Targeted Grantmaking Support

We provide national grants in the U.S. that target specialized foster care and adoption communities, post-adoption support and critical child welfare awareness, research and policy enhancements. In addition to funding Wendys Wonderful Kids program grants in nearly all 50 states and D.C., the Foundation also awards strategic national grants to adoption agencies and organizations that help to advance its mission.

Learn more about us and founder Dave Thomas’ story.

A Child is Waiting For a Family. You Can Help.

To help us elevate the national conversation about the urgent need for foster care adoption and expand our programs to be a part of the solution, please consider making a donation.

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