Wendy's Wonderful Kids Alaska at Catholic Social Services
Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, a signature program from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, finds forever homes for children and youth that linger in the foster care system. Wendy’s Wonderful Kids are typically children without an identified permanent family, legally free for adoption. Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Alaska works with up to thirteen youth that reside in the Anchorage and the Mat-Su valley. Our youth are referred by the Office of Children’s Services in the Anchorage and South Central Regions.
Upon referral, our Adoption Recruiter conducts an intensive case record review. We connect with the referred youth’s team to best identify adoption preparation tasks and potential adoptive home leads. Meeting with youth at least monthly, we develop a close relationship that serves as a foundation for adoption preparation and recruitment activities. We recruit for a forever home by exploring the possibilities of a youth’s familiar circles of family and friends. When necessary, our Adoption Recruiter works aggressively to identify others outside the youth’s immediate network, probing possibilities based on the youth’s unique personality, gifts, and needs. Once a proposed match is accepted, we work closely with the adoptive family to assure they are prepared to provide a loving, stable and permanent home. As needed, the Adoption Recruiter acts as a change agent, identifying and addressing systemic barriers and advocating on behalf of the youth and families we serve to guarantee that our children have forever homes.
Program Success to date:
Wendy’s Wonderful Kids has 122 recruiters nationwide and in four Canadian Provinces. The program has helped more than 2,500 children find their forever homes. The effectiveness of the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids model was put to the test with an unprecedented, rigorous five-year study. Its findings are significant and substantial – to the benefit of those waiting to be adopted. Not only are children who are served by WWK recruiters 1.7 times more likely to be adopted than those not served by the program, children referred at age 15 or older and children with mental health disorders are three times more likely to be adopted.
Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Alaska has historically functioned through the Office of Children’s Services. In 2011, Catholic Social Services was awarded the grant for a part time Adoption Recruiter. In November 2011, eleven matches were reported for the nineteen youth thus far served through the program in 2011.
To access WWK's "Frequently Asked Questions" list please click here.
To learn more about legally free youth that need forever homes, please contact:
Erica Johnson, MSW
Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Adoption Recruiter
Catholic Social Services
3710 E. 20th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 222-7370 direct
(907) 258-1091 fax
erjohnson@cssalaska.org