Adoption professionals — Chelsey of Utah, Shantell of New York and Tasha of Indiana — recently joined actress, singer and foster care adoption advocate, Jen Lilley, on the Fostering Hope podcast. They talked about the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® program and shared how COVID-19 is impacting children wait
This blog was adapted from a story by Tracey Leong of KIRO 7 News in Seattle, Washington. Terri fostered siblings Michael, Roman and Lilliana for more than three years. After two unsuccessful adoptions with other families, Terri made the decision to pursue adoption. But when COVID-19 hit, it de
“My life was a challenge from the beginning,” recalls Daisy, who was placed in foster care as an infant and spent the first two decades of her life without a permanent place to call home. Daisy lost her grandmother at a young age. She was abandoned by other family members. And, when Daisy was 15 yea
Floyd, Mark, Jermesha, Celeste, Harley, Cadence, Whitney, JR, Jermain and Shaelyn Jermesha, Floyd and Jermain were separated for five long years while in foster care before being referred to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® program. Their world changed when Edna came
Chelsea is a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® supervisor with The Adoption Exchange in Colorado. This column was originally published in the Boulder Daily Camera. With the coronavirus bringing so much instability and chaos into the world, we are all seeking the comfort, stability and support of our families.
This story was published by reporter Brittany Falkers at KGW 8 News in Oregon. The family calls it “controlled chaos.” “We have eight children; four boys and four girls,” dad, Mark, said. However, this big, happy family was not quite complete until Wednesday, last week. “I’ve always wanted to adopt.
The COVID-216 podcast is a production of WEWS News 5 in Cleveland, Ohio. Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, joined host Joe Donatelli on the COVID-216 podcast to discuss how the Foundation is working to find adoptive homes for children in foster care who ar
As the world longs for social connection and leans on their families for support during the COVID-19 pandemic, children in foster care are particularly vulnerable. Here are five ways you can get involved during National Foster Care Awareness Month to ensure every child has a safe, loving home. 1. Co
This article was originally published by the Baltimore Sun on April 25, 2020. By Yvonne Wenger and Alison Knezevich Reports of child abuse and neglect have fallen sharply in Maryland since the coronavirus pandemic shut down most of the state, shuttering kids in their homes and away from the watchful
The following letter to the editor ran in the Washington Post, April 22, in response to the article, “A celebration saved.” (April 11, 2020). The novel coronavirus crisis has created an uncertain environment for children waiting to be adopted and the families eager to adopt. The story of E
