Who is the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption?

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity that is committed to dramatically increasing the number of adoptions of children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. More than 113,000 children are waiting to be adopted from foster care in the U.S. right now. We are racing against the clock to find permanent, loving homes for these young people before they age out of foster care.

How does my gift make an impact?

Your gift powers our work to raise awareness about the urgent need for foster care adoption, advocate for adoption benefits in the workplace and support the expansion of our Wendy's Wonderful Kids® program. Through Wendy's Wonderful Kids, the Foundation supports the hiring of adoption recruiters who are dedicated to finding forever families for children in foster care who are too often overlooked. These recruiters work with smaller caseloads to ensure every child receives the support they deserve. A rigorous, five-year national evaluation revealed that a child referred to the program is up to 3x more likely to be adopted.

This includes teenagers, children with special needs and siblings, who many unjustly say are "unadoptable." But we have proven that with enough resources, we can find the right family for these young people.

With your support, we can fully expand Wendy's Wonderful Kids' impact across the United States and Canada. To date:

WHY IS OUR FOSTER CARE SYSTEM IN CRISIS?

Our nation's child welfare system is being stretched far beyond its capacity as families are devastated by the lasting effects of the pandemic, the opioid crisis and other issues. Nearly 400,000 children are in foster care in the U.S., more than 113,000 of whom have been permanently separated from their family of origin and are waiting for someone to step forward to adopt them — an 11% increase in the last 10 years.

HOW IS THIS CRISIS IMPACTING CHILDREN?

Last year, nearly 20,000 teens turned 18 or 21 and aged out of foster care without a permanent home. That's more than 50 young people per day! With nowhere and no one to turn to for support, these young people are more likely to experience homelessness, unemployment and other negative outcomes, which can happen to a child without the love and stability of a permanent family.

WHAT CAUSES A CHILD TO BE PLACED IN FOSTER CARE?

Children are placed in foster care after enduring abuse, neglect, parental drug use or other issues that have made their home unsafe, and have experienced countless layers of trauma, grief and loss in their lives. The unfortunate reality is that many of these children are not returning to their family of origin because it is not safe.

IS MY GIFT TAX-DEDUCTIBLE?

Donations to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption are in U.S. dollars and are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by U.S. law. Tax ID: 31-1356151.

Thank you for choosing to make a gift. Together, we will make a lifetime of impact for children and teens lingering in foster care who need our help the most.

Contact us

1-800-ASK-DTFA
info@davethomasfoundation.org

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
4900 Tuttle Crossing Blvd.
Dublin, OH 43016