Adoption can change a life—but for some, it changes generations. At Children’s Home Society of Virginia, we believe in the power of personal stories to inspire compassion, connection, and commitment. In this blog, you’ll meet one of our dedicated donors whose own adoption journey led them to a lifelong passion for supporting adoption in Virginia.
Through their story, you’ll hear in their own words how adoption shaped their life, why they give back to CHSVA, and what it means to be part of a community that believes every child deserves a permanent, loving family.
Supporting adoption doesn’t just help place children into homes—it builds futures. Every donation to CHSVA helps us find, prepare, and support families so that Virginia’s youth can thrive.
Read on to discover how one donor’s past has fueled a mission to give others the same life-changing opportunity.
A Full-Circle Journey: One Donor’s Adoption Story
Penelope de Bordenave Saffer’s commitment to CHSVA is rooted in deep family connections. Her own family helped give life to CHSVA when her great-grandfather, John Langbourne Williams, joined with others to found the organization in 1900. CHSVA returned the favor in 1966, helping Saffer and her husband create their own family when they adopted their son, Armistead. Two years later, they adopted their daughter, Maria.
In the 1960s, adoption wasn’t something people talked about openly. It was often kept quiet, even within families. “I remember how surprised I was to learn that my own mother’s cousin had adopted—it had never been mentioned,” Saffer recalls. “Somehow, knowing that helped us feel more at ease when we began considering adoption ourselves.”
In their home, adoption was never a secret—it was simply a part of their story. “We didn’t make a big deal of it,” she says. “It was just part of who we were as a family.”
Saffer reflects on sweet moments spent reading a storybook about an adoptive family to their children when they were small. “Over time, we added our children’s photos to the pages, as if they were the characters themselves. It became their story,” she shared.
Saffer is deeply grateful to CHSVA for the gift of her two children—and for the work they continue to do for children who need love, stability, and a place to belong. She has stayed connected to the organization over the years and continues to admire how CHSVA adapts to meet the changing needs of kids and teens in foster care.
Her heart is especially tender toward youth who age out without being adopted. “There’s such a need to support those teenagers,” she says. While she no longer feels able to personally offer the hands-on support they need, she gives to CHSVA with hope—believing that her donations help create brighter futures for the youth who need it most.
CHSVA’s dedication to serving children—and Saffer’s personal connection to the agency—inspired her to make a gift to CHSVA in her will.
Saffer is a member of our 1900 Society. Our 1900 Society supporters have taken the generous step of making provisions for CHSVA in their wills or estate plans. These gifts are a testimony to each individual’s deep belief in our mission, as well as their level of commitment to making a difference in the lives of Virginia’s children and families.
“Children’s Home Society has always been in my will, ever since my first will. It has retained pride of place, even as other charities have joined it,” she says. “In making a will—looking to the (hopefully!) distant future—I focused on my highest priorities. I also wanted to make sure any charities I included would still be around when the time comes. Children’s Home Society is a natural on both counts.”
In April, Saffer joined us at our Let Love Grow celebration, where she connected with others who share her passion for supporting at-risk children. She was deeply moved by the stories she heard that day—so much so that she made a special pledge in addition to her regular annual giving.
Why Supporting Adoption in Virginia Matters
Adoption isn’t just a moment—it’s a lifelong journey that requires resources, support, and commitment. In Virginia, more than 1,000 children in foster care are waiting for permanent, loving homes. Many are older youth or part of sibling groups—children who are too often overlooked but are just as deserving of family and stability.
By financially supporting adoption in Virginia, you’re helping organizations like Children’s Home Society of Virginia provide critical services such as:
- Family recruitment and training
- Post-adoption counseling and support
- Life skills programs for youth aging out of foster care
These services are vital for successful, long-term placements. In fact, national data shows that without permanent families, 11 to 36% of youth who age out of foster care will experience homelessness within a year, and 20% of youth who were in foster care at 17 and surveyed at age 21 had not earned an educational degree, diploma, certificate or license of any kind.
When you donate to CHSVA, you invest in brighter futures. You help us walk alongside children and families, not just during the adoption process—but long after, ensuring lifelong support and success.
Ways to Support CHSVA
There are many meaningful ways to give to Children’s Home Society of Virginia—whether you’re making a financial contribution or donating items to directly support youth and families and supporting adoption in Virginia:
- Recurring Gifts: Make a lasting impact with monthly donations, providing steady support for Virginia’s children and youth.
- Gift of Stock: With advances in the stock market of late, now is the perfect time to share some of your shares with the cause you love most.
- Donate Your Birthday: Start a Facebook fundraiser and ask friends to donate in lieu of gifts.
- Corporate Matching Gifts: Double or even triple your impact by taking advantage of your employer’s matching gift program.
- Planned Giving: Include CHSVA in your estate plan to ensure your legacy supports future generations of at-risk youth.
- School Supply Donations: Help adoptive families by donating school supplies from our wish list.
- My Path Forward Donations: Provide food, toiletries, and home goods for youth who have aged out of foster care.
- Adoptive Family Support: Donate gift cards for clothing or family outings to help during the transition from foster care to adoption.
- Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Donations: Support our WWK Recruiter’s efforts by donating comfort items, teen books, or Amazon gift cards for youth in residential care.
When you donate to us, every dollar makes a difference in the life of a child. Here are some of the ways we put your gift to work.
- $50: covers facilitating a meeting with a child in foster care and a prospective adoptive family
- $100: pays for a Post Adoption Club activity that allows adoptive children to bond with other children like them
- $250: provides trauma-informed parenting skills trainings for prospective and adoptive parents
- $500: allows a youth in our My Path Forward program to have Internet service so they can fulfill their educational objectives
- $1,000: furnishes a youth’s apartment in our My Path Forward program
- $1,500: gives one year of parent coaching support for an adoptive child and their family
- $5,000: funds one year’s worth of rent for a youth in our My Path Forward program
Every gift—big or small—helps us create brighter futures for Virginia’s children. And with CHSVA earning the highest possible ratings for accountability and transparency from Charity Navigator, the Better Business Bureau, and Candid, you can give with confidence, knowing your support truly makes a difference.
Pass along this inspiring story to help raise awareness for adoption in Virginia. Share this blog with your friends and family today!