Stories

Washington was one of the first states to scale Wendy's Wonderful Kids statewide in 2017. Today, there are 12 recruiters serving more than 200 children waiting to be adopted from foster care. Read More

When Jeremy Baus found out that his new employer, NVIDIA, offered adoption support, “the magnitude and reality of the benefit didn’t sink in,” he says. Prior to joining the company, Jeremy and his wife, Deborah, of North Carolina, had been working with an adoption agency in China to add to their family of five. Jeremy was able to submit the receipts he’d saved, and the company covered all the costs associated with the adoption of the Baus’ daughter, Zoe. “It was amazing to see NVIDIA’s commitment to family,” Jeremy says. Read More

Annual survey of employers reveals increased investment in adoption benefits Columbus, Ohio — The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption released its 13th annual Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list recognizing organizations with the most robust adoption benefit programs. The list compares financial reimbursement and paid leave offered to employees who adopt, based on a survey of organizations […] Read More

The following story was published by Inside Philanthropy in September 2019. By Liz Longley In the resort town of Atlantic City, in the summer of 1932, a young woman gave birth to a baby boy and put him up for adoption. Six weeks later, Rex and Auleva Thomas took him home to Kalamazoo. Auleva died […] Read More

Dee Marks adopted her son, CJ, at age 9 through the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption's Wendy's Wonderful Kids program. Now 16, CJ has developed a love of running. "Running has been such a positive force in CJ’s life," Dee writes. "It keeps him healthy physically and emotionally. And, he is calmer and more focused at school." Read CJ's story. Read More

Noah Fredenberg ran from Los Angeles to New York to raise money for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and awareness of the more than 123,000 children waiting to be adopted from foster care in the United States. After 121 days and nearly 3,200 miles running through rain, snow and extreme heat, Noah completed his […] Read More

Three years ago, Louisiana began transforming its vision of foster care and adoption. Governor John Bel Edwards writes about how the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy's Wonderful Kids is playing a vital role in this effort to ensure that every child in Louisiana has the opportunity to grow up in a safe, loving and permanent home. Read More

Bruce McKenna is a member of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®-Canada’s board of trustees. He reflects on his service and the Foundation’s impact on children in foster care. I have been an advocate for foster care adoption for more than 20 years. In the 1990s, I had the pleasure of serving on a committee […] Read More

After aging out of the foster care system, Joe Toles has committed his life to ensuring other at-risk youth always have a place to call home. In 2010, Joe welcomed Xavier into his New York City home, the first of seven sons he adopted from foster care. Four of the boys were adopted with support from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program. Read More

At the 2019 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Summit, the Foundation recognized recruiters and supervisors of the year for their life-changing service on behalf of children in foster care who need our help the most. These individuals are representative of the nearly 600 Wendy's Wonderful Kids recruiters and supervisors who are leaders and heroes for all that they do every day. Read More