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INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) – The state of Indiana will increase the number of recruiters who help place foster children in permanent foster homes. As part of a public-private partnership involving the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, the Villages of Indiana, and the Indiana State Department of Child Services, the organizations will fund the hiring and training of two dozen adoption professionals at the over the next three years.
The Ohio-based Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption was established in 1992 by Wendy’s restaurant founder Dave Thomas, who was an adopted child.
The initiative will focus on recruiting adoptive families for children most difficult to place, such as older children or children with special needs. By using the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program, they hope to reduce the number of children in foster care. According to organizations, a national assessment found that a child referred to Wendy’s is up to three times more likely to be adopted
“Every child, regardless of age, deserves the love of a family. We never want to see children waiting to feel the love and stability that a family offers, ”said Shannon Schumacher, President and CEO of The Villages. “Thanks to the generosity of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and our partnership with DCS, our dynamic team of adoption professionals will have staff resources statewide to support older children and youth for adoption.
To date, the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program has found adoptive homes for more than 10,000 children across the United States, including 160 young people in Indiana. The non-profit organization helps pay and train specialist social workers to focus on older youth and reduce the number of cases each adoption worker handles.
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