Bolstering one of first lady Melania Trump’s initiatives, US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order — Fostering the Future for American Children and Families — to expand foster care services, saying that the administration believes every American child deserves a safe and loving home, and they are determined to support the amazing families who help make that happen.
“This afternoon, I’m delighted to sign a historic executive order… to make America’s foster care system better, fairer, and more effective than ever before. All of this has been made possible by Melania’s incredible devotion to America’s youth,” said Trump said at the White House event.
Stating that each year, more than 15,000 young people age out of the foster care system, and unfortunately, too many struggle to become self-sufficient, Trump said , “The order will provide vital new resources to help young people transition out of the foster care system and live a very happy and very successful life.”
The program brings together federal entities, nonprofits, educational institutions and the private sector to develop those opportunities for foster youth.
Meanwhile, thanking Trump, Melania said that this executive order gives her tremendous pride.
“A special thank you to my husband for his enduring commitment to Fostering the Future. The President has prioritized America’s foster care children…It is both, empathetic and strategic. It will certainly be impactful…. I predict this small spark today will ignite a profound and lasting nationwide movement,” she added.
Further stating that too many people from the foster care community end up homeless, in danger on America’s streets, the First Lady said “It was 2021 when I developed the idea to establish an impactful platform with an important mission: to provide individuals from the foster care community the ability to secure an entry-level job position, and in turn… financial independence.”
The executive order contains provisions to increase access to Education and Training Vouchers and federal grants to support more time-limited and credentialed programs that promote educational success, workforce advancement, and financial literacy for young people transitioning out of care.
It also makes provision to expand educational opportunities by facilitating state use of scholarship programs funded by tax-credited donations to scholarship-granting organizations for children in foster care.
The White House said that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will also launch a Fostering the Future-aligned initiative to keep children safely with their families and reduce unnecessary entries into foster care while also increasing the availability of foster homes for children and youth.
“ACF will also announce a new pilot program to donate decommissioned federal laptops to youth in foster care to help bridge the digital divide and increase access to online resources that are critical for a successful transition to adulthood,” said the white house.
