Stories

Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, joined Marcy Bursac on her podcast, The Forgotten Adoption Option. Marcy is an author and blogger who adopted two siblings from foster care. Read More

"Together, we changed 10,000 lives in the most profound, lasting way.," writes Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Foundation, reflecting on the milestone of more than 10,000 adoptions through Wendy's Wonderful Kids. "Ten thousand children now have mom or dad to tuck them in at night and greet them in the morning, to comfort them and to share the joys of everyday life, and to be there every step of the way..." Read More

Columbus, Ohio — The Foundation is proud to announce that its signature program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids®, has helped to find adoptive homes for more than 10,000 children in foster care across the United States and Canada since 2004. “Wendy’s Wonderful Kids helped me want to be adopted. It changed my life because I have a wonderful, loving, caring family who will always be there for me...” said Jace, an 18-year-old who was adopted through the program last year. Read More

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption-Canada welcomed John Mulvihill, Senior Director, Supply Chain Management at Wendy's Quality Supply Chain Cooperative, Inc. as a member of its board of trustees. "I am humbled to serve the Foundation’s mission to find loving, forever homes for children across Canada," said John. Read More

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption welcomed Laura Butrico as a member of its board of trustees. “I have always been moved by Dave Thomas’ quote, ‘These children are not someone else’s responsibility. They are our responsibility.’ I look forward to helping to place children waiting in foster care into loving and forever homes.” Read More

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption welcomed Josh Sell as a member of its board of trustees. “I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to serve on the board of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption,” said Sell. “Having been associated with the Wendy’s family for over 15 years, the Foundation and its mission are something I am not only familiar with, but very passionate about.” Read More

West Virginia — Some of Zach’s earliest memories are of living in dirty motels with little food and no clean clothes. For five long years, he moved between his biological family and foster care with no permanent place to call home. Fortunately, his journey changed when he was adopted at age 11 through our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program. Now 19, Zach is thriving in college on a full scholarship. Read More

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption welcomed Gavin Waugh as a member of its board of trustees. "I am thrilled to be joining the board of trustees. Since 1992, the Foundation has made a real difference in the lives of many deserving children in foster care by finding them loving and permanent homes." Read More

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption welcomed Tamika Williams as a member of its board of trustees. “From my earliest days of working in child welfare, I have been involved in the adoption of children from foster care,” said Williams. “I have witnessed and know the absolute necessity of child-specific recruitment to getting ALL children home.” Read More

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption announced today that Joe Turner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Sun Management, has been elected as chair of its board of trustees. "This is a thrill for me," Turner said. "I am proud to be named the chair of the Foundation’s board of trustees and will do everything I can to promote its mission and to continue its unprecedented success in finding forever families for children in foster care." Read More