Celebrating National Adoption Month: The Falkner Family’s Story

November is National Adoption Month, a time to celebrate the families who open their hearts and homes to children in need of permanency. While Together for Youth’s focus is on foster care, we’re honored to witness and be part of so many wonderful adoption journeys along the way.

This month, we’re celebrating Charles and Virginia (Ginny) Falkner, who joyfully adopted a sibling set of three on October 15, 2025. The children first entered foster care in 2017 in Albany, NY. Over the years, they experienced multiple placements, reunification with their birth mother, and eventually re-entered care. When the Falkners learned the children were back in care, now living four hours away in Rochester, they didn’t hesitate. They immediately reopened their foster home to provide an emergency placement and a sense of stability that the children needed.

Since then, the children have truly thrived. Charles and Virginia have gone above and beyond to make sure the kids feel supported and connected. They stay in touch with the caregivers of the children’s other siblings, coordinating visits across the state so the brothers and sisters can remain close. They’ve enrolled the children in sports, taken them on family trips, and ensured they have access to every service and resource needed to continue growing and succeeding.

“Being a foster parent is so rewarding because you’re able to give love to children and provide them with a safe home,” said foster mom Ginny. “I recommend fostering because there are so many kids who need to know that someone loves and cares about them.”

Throughout the years, the Falkners have also maintained a thoughtful connection with the children’s biological family, facilitating phone calls with their birth mother when appropriate and helping the children understand their family story. Their collaboration with the county and Together for Youth led to a successful adoption and a home filled with love, laughter, and belonging.

“This family has been wonderful to work with. They’ve built a strong partnership with the birth family and go above and beyond, traveling to Rochester so the kids can see their siblings. They’re genuinely kind people who want these children to have the lives they deserve, and they even reopened their doors to offer continued support.” — Melinda, Family Specialist