A White House speech by First Lady Melania Trump announcing the 'Fostering the Future' executive order (a BE BEST initiative) which offers technology-based scholarships and a cross-sector network to help individuals from the U.S. foster care community access higher education and employment. The speech frames the program as both empathetic and strategic, calls for sustained public-private-faith sector collaboration, and highlights expected long-term economic and social benefits.
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Welcome to the White House. It is truly inspiring to see everyone gather here together united in support of this remarkable initiative and community. As I stand here and observe the audience, I recognize the vital importance of each one of you to this mission to our future generations. In particular, I would like to thank the Cabinet secretaries, Congress members, scholarship donors and various organizations for their unending advocacy. A special thank you to my husband for his enduring commitment to fostering the future. The President has prioritized America's foster care children and shortly he will sign our Fostering the Future executive order. Too many people from foster care community end up homeless in danger on America's streets. 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. Fostering the Future A BE BEST initiative provides individuals from the foster care community with technology based scholarships to attend colleges and universities throughout America. Fostering the Future sets these individuals on their career paths. But more significantly, it equips each scholarship recipient with the fundamental foundation of knowledge that will endure throughout their lifetimes permanency. For those who embody the fleeting. I applaud the American universities that have joined my mission. Institutions like Wonderfield University, University of Miami and Villanova University. Following graduation scholarship recipients from my program are prepared to enter the workforce and ultimately become leading executives. Predictably, they will manage thousands of employees and generate significant value for American communities through job creation, access to health care, food security and other societal benefits. This executive order fostering the future for American children and families gives me tremendous pride. It is both empathetic and strategic. It will certainly be impactful. It aims to establish a comprehensive network connecting federal departments and agencies, private sector businesses, higher learning institutions and charitable organizations. This will create new educational and employment opportunities countrywide. Our faith based organizations will continue playing a vital and consequential role. My hope of course, is that this level of coordinated collaboration will sustain. But today I call on leadership from these various organizations, including the private sector to join my effort. Rise above the ease of inaction. I predict this small spark today will ignite a profound and lasting nationwide movement. Our united resolve will foster a thriving future filled with compassion and innovation. Together we will illuminate the pathway for today's foster children to become tomorrow's builders. And tomorrow's builders will foster the future of America's legacy. Thank you.
