What is a "Wednesday's Child"?
By definition, a Wednesday's Child is a foster child that is in the custody of the state.
Why do children end up in foster care?
Children in foster care have been exposed to things that no child should understand, let alone have first hand knowledge of: abuse (physical, emotional and or sexual), neglectful supervision, medical neglect and/or abandonment. They have been removed from their biological homes by Child Protective Services (CPS) and because of the severity of the abuse, CPS has gone to court and had them legally removed from their biological parents and placed in foster care. These children have been ripped from everything familiar and are living with a foster family, or in a group home, an emergency shelter or a residential treatment facility. As a result, it is all the more important that they have the opportunity to enjoy normal childhood experiences, and things that help them heal the pain of their pasts.
Is this organization the WFAA-TV Channel 8 program?
While WFAA—TV's "Wednesday's Child" program and Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation both help our region's foster children, they are separate organizations with different kinds of programs. The WFAA "Wednesday's Child" program helps find adoptive homes for foster children and Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation provides for all their unmet needs while they are in foster care. These unmet needs include many of the things that help create a normal childhood, from tutoring and medical and dental care to summer camp and birthday gifts. To learn more about the children profiled on the WFAA Wednesday's Child spot please click here or call 1.800.233.3405.
Which foster children do you serve?
Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation serves foster children in 19 North Texas counties including Dallas and Tarrant. This area, designated as Region III by the state of Texas, is the smallest region geographically but has the highest saturation of children in care. Here in North Texas, one in every 169 children is a foster child.
Does Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation receive any United Way or government funding?
Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation does not receive any United Way or government funding. All funding comes from foundations, corporations and individual donors.
How are your funds allocated?
- 75 cents of every dollar goes to programs
- 75 percent of funds go toward programs, 18 percent toward marketing and fundraising and 7 percent toward administrative costs
Can I make sure that the money I send goes to a specific program?
Yes, we can designate your gift toward a specific program if you wish. Please be sure to indicate this when making your payment. However, general gifts help us serve the specialized needs of individual children as they arise.
Does Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation take clothing, toys or furniture donations?
In most cases, Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation takes only monetary donations. This enables us to better serve the specific needs of individual children as they arise.
How do foster children request and receive your services?
- Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation is the only organization that provides for the unmet needs of North Texas' foster children. Our system is structured to make our services efficient and to ensure that we deliver help to the children by working closely with each child's Child Protective Services (CPS) caseworker or placement agency worker.
- The CPS caseworker or placement agency worker submits a request to Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation on behalf of a foster child on his or her caseload whenever state funding or other resources are insufficient to provide normal childhood needs and experiences. For example, the state does not provide for tutoring services. After a child has been moved around from different foster homes, they may fall behind in school. We provide the tutoring they may need to catch up and excel in school.
- Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation's Program committee is made up of volunteers who ensure that all requests fit into the scope of our mission, then work to get items and services donated or discounted to make the most of every dollar. Once a request is approved, a check is written to the service provider on behalf of the foster child.
Would the foster children receive these things if not for Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation?
On average foster parents spend $200 beyond the funds provided by the state on each foster child in their care each month. As a result, certain normal childhood needs or wishes may not be financially feasible. Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation is here to bridge the gap and to ensure that these deserving children still have access to the same opportunities as their peers. As there are not any other additional agencies that support foster children, these needs would otherwise go unfulfilled.
What are some examples of the things you fund for foster children?
Please click here to see a list of our programs.
How can I report child abuse?
To report child abuse or neglect, call 1-800-252-5400 or go to https://www.txabusehotline.org
How can I get involved?
Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation has many opportunities for people to get involved. Please click on the Volunteer page or Donate page to find out how.