What Is the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption?
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) awards grants to adoption organizations for programs that help raise awareness on adoption issues and help the adoption professional to find foster children loving, adoptive homes.
It all began in 1990, with a request from then President George H. W. Bush. President Bush asked Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's, to be a speaker for a national adoption awareness campaign, "Adoption Works…for Everyone." President Bush also asked Dave to speak to businesses on the idea of creating adoption benefits for their employees, something Thomas started offering to his employees in 1990.
Dave led this national awareness campaign with a focus on adopting children from the United State's foster care system. In 1992, Dave Thomas created the charity, The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) with the continued goal of finding adoptive homes for children in foster care.
Other efforts include:
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption's mission and vision focuses on the belief that every child is adoptable and deserves a loving, permanent home. DTFA wants to see the number of foster care adoptions increase. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption works to help find those homes, inform families on any misconceptions about foster care adoption, and support adoption workers and agencies.
They also work with policymakers and employers to help adoptive families and prospective adoptive families make adoption a reality. Another important value held by the DTFA is for children to not have lingering stays in foster care and for there to be far fewer children who age out of the system upon reaching the age of eighteen.
Part of meeting this mission was to create Wendy's Wonderful Kids in 2004, the signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
SOURCES:
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption - davethomastoundation.org
Marlene Cimons. "Dave Thomas Crusading for a "Forever Family" for Every Child in Foster Care". ADOPTIVE FAMILIES MAGAZINE. 2000.
History of The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
It all began in 1990, with a request from then President George H. W. Bush. President Bush asked Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's, to be a speaker for a national adoption awareness campaign, "Adoption Works…for Everyone." President Bush also asked Dave to speak to businesses on the idea of creating adoption benefits for their employees, something Thomas started offering to his employees in 1990.
Dave led this national awareness campaign with a focus on adopting children from the United State's foster care system. In 1992, Dave Thomas created the charity, The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) with the continued goal of finding adoptive homes for children in foster care.
Other efforts include:
- Writing letters to Governors in every state, asking that they consider offering adoption benefits for state employees.
- In 1997, Dave Thomas spoke before Congress in support of an adoption tax credit to help families find adoption an affordable option.
- He also worked to bring about a national adoption awareness stamp, which the United States Postal Service did issue nationwide.
Mission and Values
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption's mission and vision focuses on the belief that every child is adoptable and deserves a loving, permanent home. DTFA wants to see the number of foster care adoptions increase. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption works to help find those homes, inform families on any misconceptions about foster care adoption, and support adoption workers and agencies.
They also work with policymakers and employers to help adoptive families and prospective adoptive families make adoption a reality. Another important value held by the DTFA is for children to not have lingering stays in foster care and for there to be far fewer children who age out of the system upon reaching the age of eighteen.
Part of meeting this mission was to create Wendy's Wonderful Kids in 2004, the signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
SOURCES:
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption - davethomastoundation.org
Marlene Cimons. "Dave Thomas Crusading for a "Forever Family" for Every Child in Foster Care". ADOPTIVE FAMILIES MAGAZINE. 2000.
