200th child adopted through Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption program Wendy's Wonderful Kids

TORONTO, July 10, 2015 /CNW/ - Today,  the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Canada proudly announces an incredible milestone—200 children have been adopted into forever families through the Wendy's Wonderful Kids Program. The program uses child-focused recruitment strategies and finds permanent homes for the children who have traditionally waited the longest for adoption, or are most likely to age out of care — older youth, sibling groups and children with physical or emotional challenges. This program has proven that the term "unadoptable" is unacceptable and that every child can have a loving family.

"The need for family is universal, and reaching this milestone in Canada is an extraordinary achievement," said Rita Soronen, President  & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Canada. "There are permanent families for all of Canada's foster children, even those who have been deemed 'difficult to place'. We will keep working until every child has a home."

The Foundation does much of its work for these kids through its signature program, Wendy's Wonderful Kids. Launched in Canada in 2006, the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program utilizes the Foundation's child-focused recruitment model to address the needs of Canada's longest-waiting youth. Research proves that children served by the model are up to 3 times more likely to get adopted. In addition to the trauma children experience without permanent homes, there is also an enormous cost to society. Thousands of older youth in foster care will stay in the system, aging out at 17 or 18. With no place to go and no family as a safety net, they are at increased risk of being homeless, dropping out of school, substance abuse, falling back into government systems or becoming  teen parents.

Wendy's Wonderful Kids recruiters, now working in six Canadian provinces, refuse to accept those outcomes. They approach the challenge using proven, evidence-based practices. They work to find the best forever home for a child, starting with familiar circles of family, friends, and neighbours, and then reaching out to the communities. Sometimes it's a former foster parent, relative, teacher or coach who needs someone to do the aggressive, persistent work needed to navigate the adoption laws and barriers to create a permanent home.

There are still more than 30,000 children in Canada waiting in foster care for their forever families. For more information on how you can help the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Canada match each and every one with a loving family, please visit www.davethomasfoundation.ca  or call 1-800-ASK-DTFA.

About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity dedicated exclusively to finding permanent homes for the more than 130,000 children waiting in North America's foster care systems. Created by Wendy's® founder Dave Thomas, who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national service programs, foster care adoption awareness campaigns and innovative grant making. To learn more, visit www.davethomasfoundation.ca.

About Wendy's
The Wendy's Company WEN is the world's third largest quick-service hamburger restaurant chain. The Wendy's system includes more than 6,500 restaurants in 29 countries and U.S. territories. For more information, visit www.wendys.com.

SOURCE Wendy's Restaurants of Canada