Will Finds His Forever Family At Age 7

Will, a local eight-year-old with eager eyes and a winning smile, looks like most boys his age. Yet his life has been very different. In his early years Will never knew what most kids take for granted―loving parents and a home to call his own. He was in the foster care system most of his life, moving from home to home. Perhaps the hardest part was that Will had little hope things would change. But they did change, thanks to Volunteers of America. Will was referred to Volunteers of America’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids foster care adoption program. For years, our organization has partnered with Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, a nationwide initiative started by Wendy’s founder, the late Dave Thomas. The goal is to find forever families for every child in foster care. The numbers of older foster children like Will who wait for families are startling. Right now, our state has 653 foster children eligible for adoption. These numbers are daunting, but we’re determined to keep working to unite children and families. Our staff found a couple, Eric and Aisha, who longed to be parents and showed interest in adopting Will. Soon, Will moved into their home―and struggled. It was hard for him to believe that this family would be different from the others. It took a while, but within a year, Will began to show trust. During this period, our staff member was an advocate for Will, encouraging and supporting the family. Soon, Will began to help around the house, made friends and enjoyed spending time with his new family. Others noticed how Will became happy, outgoing and joyful. His dream of a family to call his own was coming true. Eric and Aisha officially adopted Will earlier this year, and he is thriving. They cannot imagine a future without Will in their family. This family expresses their thanks to Volunteers of America and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids for the blessings they experienced.