Right now, 100,000+ children are waiting to be adopted from foster care in the United States.
Created in 1992 by Wendy’s® founder Dave Thomas who was adopted, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national, nonprofit public charity dedicated to finding forever families for children in foster care who are too often overlooked.
A Brighter World: MACI’S STORY
Adopted just 51 days before her 18th birthday, Maci had all but given up hope of having a loving family. Placed into foster care after the death of her parents, Maci said she had come to terms with being alone. “I was scared. I was lost. I felt hopeless. It was awful.” Now, with the support of a forever family, Maci is chasing down her biggest dreams.
A Place to Call Home: XAVIER’S STORY
As he neared 18, Xavier felt lost and scared, unsure what awaited him if he aged out of foster care. He didn’t think adoption was possible — until he met Joe. Now, Xavier finally has the stability to dream about his future.
A Bright Future: MARISOL’S STORY
At 5 years old, Marisol was placed in foster care after enduring physical abuse. For the next 14 years, she lived in and out of group homes, giving up hope of ever being adopted. Today, Marisol is experiencing everything life has to offer with her forever family by her side.
A Family That Stays: BRIDGETT’S STORY
By the time she was 15, Bridgett had already lived in more foster homes than she could count. Just before Christmas break, she was facing another move, when her high school principal invited her to stay with his family. It was meant to be temporary, but it quickly became obvious that this would be Bridgett’s forever home.
If you have room in your home or in your heart, you can help a child, like Bridgett, Maci, Marisol and Xavier, waiting for a family right now.
Follow the Foundation on social media and invite your network to learn more.
Read and share stories of impact and resources with family and friends.
Become a monthly donor to help sustain our work to ensure that every child has a permanent home and a loving family.
With help from our caring supporters, the Foundation is working to break down barriers to permanency for families by implementing awareness campaigns informed by research, advocating for adoption and foster care benefits in the workplace, and promoting free educational and financial resources for prospective parents.
We could not do this life-changing work without you.
Give Now