For the ninth year, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has placed Cornell on its list of the 100 most adoption-friendly workplaces in the United States. 

This year, Cornell ranks second on the list of educational institutions; this is the third time in as many years that Cornell has placed either first or second on the educational institution list.

“Our commitment to the talented faculty and staff of Cornell includes our efforts to support working parents, including our adoptive and foster families,” said Mary Opperman, Cornell vice president for human resources and safety services. “Over the years, we have anticipated and responded to the emerging and increasingly diverse concerns of contemporary families through our adoption assistance program, child care grants, child care center, parental leave benefits, educational programming and flexible work arrangements.”

Cornell provides up to $5,000 adoption assistance per child; $6,000 for adoption of a child whom the IRS has defined as having special needs. Since the adoption assistance program began in 2005, Cornell has helped more than 60 families with adoption support. Cornell faculty and staff have access to parental leave and, as parents, can apply for grants to assist with child care expenses of up to $5,000 per year

Programming geared to support the needs of families include support groups, back-up care services and a dependent care consultant.

In early 2014, Cornell conducted a survey of adoptive families and those considering adoption to learn more about their needs.

“We discovered that more than 40 percent of those who’ve adopted have done so through foster care, and 30 percent of our families who have either adopted or considered adoption are from our LGBTQ community, with 12 percent headed by a single parent,” said Lynette Chappell-Williams, associate vice president for inclusion and diversity. 

“Financial concerns were the greatest challenge cited by those responding, so we are improving our communication of the benefits available to Cornell’s parents, and looking at ways to provide greater financial guidance to Cornell employees, including information on current child care options,” she said.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing adoptions throughout North America created by the late Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, who was adopted as a child.