The Best Adoption Friendly Workplace

The Dave Thomas Foundation

Unadoptable is Unacceptable

The Dave Thomas Foundation

• Founded in 1992

• Mission : “ The Dave Thomas Foundation will dramatically increase the number of adoptions of waiting children in North America’s foster care system.”

• Child-focused

National Adoption DayNovember 17, 201240,000 children

Wendy’s Wonderful KidsFunds adoption professionals154 recruitersLatosha Marina

Myth or Reality?

A biological parent can show up at any time and take their child back.

Myth or Reality?

Foster care adoption costs little to no money.

Myth or Reality?

You must be a married, heterosexual couple under the age 55 to adopt a

child.

Research FindingsSurveyed 1,600 Americans on their view of foster care adoption

Met with HR professionals to learn what is important to them, their companies and employees when it comes to adoption

Researched other business lists to model how hey collected data, chose criteria and publicized the lists.

I’m Just a Kid

Objectives Increase benefits

Educate potential adoptive families

Raise awareness about number of kids available for adoption

Competing for the BetterWanted to make something to attract companies to their new idea.

Developed a Top 100 list of the companies that offered the best benefits for employees looking to adopt.

Criteria for making the list

The Top 100 list is a great form of stewardship. It pushes companies to improve on their former ranking and challenges new companies to make the list.

Preliminary Surveys to Rank Companies

Mailed survey invitations to 40,000 business leaders and HR professionals.

Rankings were based off of (1) the maximum financial reimbursement per adoption(2) the maximum number of weeks of paid leave per adoption

Employers who provided both were ranked higher than those just providing monetary support.

Growing Interest in the Initiative

Overall Rankings were created by business size, industry and location, as well as the overall Top 100 list that gained substantial interest prior to its original release in April 2007.

The foundation then began to receive inquiries from companies asking how they could improve benefits to rise up the 2008 list.

Any place is a good place“Adoption-Friendly Workplace Tool Kits”

Includes a CD with forms and sample benefit plans, making it easy to propose and establish an adoption benefits policy in the workplace.

Shows companies how to implement financial reimbursement and paid leave for employees who adopt.

Second Annual SurveyThe foundation created another survey aimed at specific trade media similar to their industry.

Extended reach

Partners helped to raise awareness of the foundations mission on a mass scale.

Distributed media pitches in addition to national press releases through outlets such as TIME and CNBC.

National Adoption Day PlanWerth began building national enthusiasm for the upcoming National Adoption Day.

Revamped the foundation web site Launched a social networking program to encourage adoptive parents and advocates to share their success stories.

The site made it easy to register for local National Adoption Day events and provided event toolkits for advocates looking to make their own.

NAD continuedTwitter Page ( @DTFA )

National Adoption Day’s main event was held in Queens, NY on November 15, 2008.

It featured speeches by the foundation’s executive director and former foster child, actress Victoria Rowell. Rowell also spoke to the New York media and on The Today Show on the foundation’s message points.

BudgetWith a five-member team, Werth and the foundation’s marketing director expanded their budget as far as possible.

The budget allowed $40,000 for the ABAFW survey and $157,500 for National Adoption Day in 2008.

Which organization was ranked No. 1 on the BEST Adoption Friendly

Workplace list?

The Wendy’s Company with a combination of up to $25,300 in adoption assistance and up to six weeks of paid leave.

As a ResultThe 2008 list influenced 92 organizations to increase benefits for workers that adopted with over 33 businesses using the foundations free adoption resources

Media coverage of the 2008 list delivered over 20 million impressions worldwide due to over 200 stories raising awareness

National Adoption Day Campaign

Campaign exposed over 120 million Americans to the Foundations positive messages about foster care adoption.

Linked to the adoption of over 4,600 children in foster care during the 325 National Adoption Day events held in all 50 states.

The number of events and adoptions are increasing every year

Led a campaign that reported on adoptions affordability, shattered stereotypes and raised awareness for the 129,000 children in foster care.

Financial BenefitsThe average financial reimbursement: $6,780

The average paid leave offering is four weeks.

Nearly half of the participants also offer unpaid leave beyond what is required by the Family and Medical Leave Act, ranging from one week to three years

In Aon Hewitt’s annual survey: 12 % offered a financial adoption benefit in 1990. This year, 56% of employers reported offering a financial adoption benefit

Success StoriesJohnson Family

Employee Experienceshttp://www.davethomasfoundation.org/about-foster-care-adoption/success-stories/

Dave Thomas Foundation Website

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