Wendy's Delivers Record Support for Foster Care Adoption

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Mar 12, 2024, 09:00 ET

Restaurant teams and Frosty fans raised $22.6 million benefiting The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

DUBLIN, Ohio, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing a more than 30-year history of supporting foster care adoption, Wendy's® helped raise a record-breaking $22.6 million benefiting the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® over the last year including fundraising programs like "Make A Biggie Difference" sponsored by Coca-Cola® and Keurig Dr Pepper®, coin canister collection, Boo! Books®, and Frosty® Key Tags.

Wendy's cause marketing efforts include fund-raising and fan-raising for their signature cause. Over the last three decades, Wendy's has motivated its fans and restaurant teams to raise more than $310 million for the Foundation to help find loving, permanent homes for more children lingering in foster care. Dollars raised directly advance the Foundation's mission to dramatically increase the number of adoptions of the more than 113,000 children in the U.S. currently waiting to be adopted from foster care.

"We are so grateful to every single Wendy's customer who purchased a Boo! Books coupon book, a Frosty Key Tag, scanned our carryout bags during Make a Biggie Difference, or dropped spare change in our coin collection canisters," said Lindsay Radkoski, Wendy's U.S. Chief Marketing Officer. "Every year, nearly 20,000 youth in the U.S. age out of foster care without a forever family, but our partnership with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is making a life-changing difference."

An Unprecedented Goal Reached
The Wendy's System of franchisees, operators, and crew members raised a record-breaking $9.2 million through Boo! Books during its 20^th campaign. Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products and DC joined forces with Wendy's for the first time. The DC-inspired coupon book had five coupons for free Jr. Frosty treats featuring iconic Frosty characters dressed up as DC Super Heroes, plus a sixth coupon for a $1.99 Wendy's Kids' Meal^® with any purchase. Wendy's $1 Boo! Books were available from September 4, 2023 through November 5, 2023.

In honor of National Adoption Month in November, Wendy's brought back the fan-favorite Frosty Key Tags. Available November 20, 2023 through February 18, 2024, Wendy's fans could buy a $3 Frosty Key Tag to score a free Jr. Frosty with purchase all year long – a sweet deal for an even sweeter cause. Through Frosty Key Tags, Wendy's reached $12.5 million raised to advance the Foundation's critical work.

"The Wendy's family has been an incredible supporter and champion of the Foundation's mission," said Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. "Together, we have helped find permanent, loving families for more than 14,000 children in foster care across the U.S. and Canada. Funds raised through Wendy's mean we can continue expanding our national awareness campaigns and innovative programs to serve more children still waiting for the stability and security of a forever home."

Wendy's Commitment to Adoption
Dave Thomas, Wendy's founder, was adopted when he was six weeks old. In 1992, he established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The Foundation and Wendy's share a commitment to achieving Thomas's vision that every child has a permanent home and a loving family. Through its signature program, Wendy's Wonderful Kids®, the Foundation supports the hiring of adoption professionals, known as recruiters, who are dedicated to finding permanent families for children in foster care who are too often overlooked. That includes teenagers, children with special needs, and siblings. A rigorous, five-year national evaluation revealed that children referred to the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program are up to three times more likely to be adopted from foster care.

About Wendy's
Wendy's was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio. Dave built his business on the premise, "Quality Is Our Recipe®," which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. Wendy's is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen beef*, freshly prepared salads, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty dessert. The Wendy's Company (Nasdaq: WEN) is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company's support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and its signature Wendy's Wonderful Kids program, which seeks to find a loving, forever home for every child waiting to be adopted from the North American foster care system. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across over 7,000 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising. Visit www.wendys.com and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on X and Instagram using @wendys, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendys.

About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national, nonprofit public charity dedicated to finding permanent homes for the more than 140,000 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 grantmaking. To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org.

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Canada.

SOURCE The Wendy's Company