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The Foundation originally shared Zach’s adoption story in January 2021. We caught up with him in August 2024 to hear how having the support of a permanent, loving family changed his journey. 

West Virginia – At six years old, Zach was placed in foster care after he was found wandering alone in an alley. He spent the next five years moving between his family of origin and different foster homes.

“I felt alone in the world. I didn’t feel loved,” shared Zach. “I had no hope of being adopted, and every day felt like a lost cause.”

Thankfully, Zach’s journey changed when he met his Wendy’s Wonderful Kids^® recruiter, Carol. She was dedicated to finding the right family for Zach.

Through our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption supports the hiring of adoption recruiters, like Carol, who implement a child-focused recruitment model. This model is proven to be up to 3x more effective at finding forever families for children in foster care who are most often overlooked: teenagers, children with special needs and siblings.

“All of the kids that are in foster care, the kids I work with, they just really need a family,” said Carol. “They need one person ― just one person ― to really give them the stability, the consistency…the love.”

Zach was adopted by Joe and Kim at age 11 with help from the Foundation’s caring community of supporters.

Surrounded by his loving family, Zach remembers special moments like celebrating his birthday, waking up early to open presents on Christmas morning and going to the beach on his first family vacation.

“I think we’ve given Zach a home, stability, someone that’s going to be there for him no matter what. He’s just such a caring human being, and I wonder all the time, where would Zach be if he didn’t have a family?” said Kim.

An Update to Zach’s Story 

With the support of a permanent family, Zach was able to pursue college on a full scholarship. He studied to become a teacher, just like his mom.

“I am out of college with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a certification in special education,” said Zach. “I am currently in my first job working in the classroom. I can confidently say that I have the education I have because my adoptive family gave me the needed stability.”

Every day in the United States, more than 50 youth age out of foster care without a permanent home. Will you help raise awareness about the urgent need for foster care adoption? Follow the Foundation on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Threads, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.