Tadae King-Williams

Tadae King-Williams is a senior at Vineland High School and has been a South Jersey First Star scholar for four years. She is a student leader and strong voice for the foster youth in our community, which is why I am honored to nominate Tadae as a New Jersey’s Heartland Hero.

Tadae’s story has its roots in her journey through foster care and adjusting to adoption. Throughout her formative years, she journaled and believed it was her lifeline; that when she had no one who understood what she was going through, she always had her journal to write in.

Filing the pages helped her cope and heal, which in turn was the driving force in launching “Tadae’s Foster for Tomorrow,” which collects journals, pens, adult coloring books and toiletries that are placed into drawstring bags along with the message, “Life is tough, but so are you!”

Tadae originally hoped to collect enough in the way of donations to assemble 25 to 30 bags to comfort other teens facing similar foster care challenges. It was then that she reached out to Rob Rone, the owner of three local Wendy’s about her cause. Rob said why aim for 30 when we can absolutely do 300. So on Tuesday May 14, 2019, on the one-year anniversary of her adoption, Rone donated 10 percent of all sales between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. from his three Wendy’s to “Tadae’s Foster for Tomorrow.”

Next month Tadae graduates with honors from Vineland High School. She is set to continue her education at Rowan University, where she plans to pursue her interest in psychology. She is truly a remarkable young woman and deserving of Heartland Hero recognition.