Hopefully by now you’ve read our previous blog post about the Wendy’s free Jr. Frosty’s coupon booklets that benefit Adoption Choices.

You probably wondered as you read said blog post, “How did Wendy’s become affiliated with Adoption Choices?” Maybe you’re not wondering that at all. Maybe it never crossed your mind but now that we’ve implanted the question in your head, you’re very curious….

Well we don’t like witholding interesting stories from you, JFS of metrowest blog reader. So we would like you to know the man who so generously collaborates with us each fall. His name is Bill Zanke. This is his story:

The month of October conjures certain emotions and images for us all. The leaves are changing, the apples have ripened, and the crinkling of candy wrappers seems to be heard on every street. For Bill Zanke, October is the month of giving—not just to the Trick or Treaters who will appear at his door, but to the families and children waiting to adopt and be adopted.

            Zanke has a long history of adoption advocacy. He is the owner of a number of Wendy’s franchises in Metrowest and Central Massachusetts. Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s and an adoptee himself, crusaded for adoption advocacy within the foster care system and encouraged all of his employees to join the cause. His charity, The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, is still going strong today–eight years after his passing.   

Over the years Zanke’s professional relationship with Wendy’s has blossomed into a personal mission to advocate for adoption in his community. He has channeled his advocacy into action—becoming involved with Wednesday’s Child on WBZ-TV4, a weekly program that helps find adoptive families for children in foster care, and has also volunteered at the Umass Center for Adoption Research.

Zanke’s unwavering dedication is the reason he found himself at the Marlborough post office roughly ten years ago, representing Wendy’s at a ceremony unveiling the new adoption advocacy stamp. It was at this particular ceremony that Zanke met Dale Eldridge and Raquel Woodard. Eldridge and Woodard, adoption advocates themselves, together head up Adoption Choices, a non-profit run by JFS of Metrowest, which provides Massachusetts families with comprehensive international and national adoption services.  

This chance meeting with Dale and Raquel was just the catalyst Zanke needed to become further involved in his community. The Dave Thomas Foundation is a national organization and Zanke had always been on the lookout for the right opportunity to provide Wendy’s resources to a localized non-profit. “Adoption Choices does a first class job.” He says. “Adoption programs run all over the board [in terms of quality], but Adoption Choices is a very high quality program.”

October is the month of collaboration between Zanke’s franchises and Adoption Choices. Every year Wendy’s sells coupon booklets for free Jr. Frosty shakes. One dollar buys a booklet of ten coupons. At Zanke’s franchises, all of the proceeds will benefit Adoption Choices. The money spent on the coupon book will go towards placing a child with his or her new family, or towards the counseling and home studies services provided by Adoption Choices. “Every year when we offer the coupons, it becomes really clear to me that we’re truly making a difference.” He says. And you could too.

 To order your gift booklet please visit by clicking here. To learn more about Adoption Choices, visit the website here.

                                                 created at: 2010-10-12

This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE