You would never cross a bridge that only goes halfway over a gap. Yet that is the reality faced by many young Americans in foster care.
Each year, roughly 20,000 young Americans age out of the foster care system. A quarter will experience homelessness, many struggle to find steady work, and roughly 21% of individuals who went through foster care suffer from substance abuse.
That should not happen in a nation built on the promise of opportunity and the American Dream.
Under President Donald Trump鈥檚 leadership, we are bridging the gap between foster care and adulthood, ensuring that young Americans leaving foster care have a real pathway to independence.
At the Department of Housing and Urban Development, we are working closely with local housing authorities, child welfare agencies, and community partners to deliver practical, results-driven solutions.
Through the , our team empowers public housing authorities to provide housing for young adults transitioning out of foster care. Youth are also provided with supportive services, which may include job training and financial skills, to equip them with tools to live successful, happy lives.
Under the Trump administration, HUD has supported more than 1,200 youth with roughly $16.6 million in Foster Youth to Independence funds. We have over 7,500 awards in more than 360 public housing agencies nationwide — including 187 active awards in Colorado that support 50 young Americans in Denver.
Foster Youth to Independence is part of the Trump administration鈥檚 broader commitment to forge a stronger future for foster youth. That commitment was reinforced in the president抖阴ap executive order, 鈥淔ostering the Future for American Children and Families,鈥� which was led by first lady Melania Trump and mobilizes public-private partnerships to forge educational and job opportunities for foster youth.
As part of this effort, HUD, , are hosting a series of nationwide roundtables. Our goal is to hear directly from former foster youth who are willing to share about the unique obstacles they face when transitioning out of the system. Our very first roundtable took place right here in Denver last week, and it was edifying to speak with young Americans who emphasized that they need grace, compassion, and the tools to achieve self-sufficiency.
These discussions are grounded in the commonsense idea that those who actually experienced and lived through the foster care system are best positioned to find solutions. What we hear will directly inform how we tailor policies using a whole-of-government approach to ensure that support is responsive, targeted, and focused on long-term success that is built on a foundation of financial stability.
First lady Melania Trump has been leading the way through , relentlessly championing more opportunities for success for youth who have experienced foster care. She has worked to get foster youth the resources and assistance they need, providing millions of dollars for the Foster Youth to Independence initiative at HUD. And the first lady helped smooth the path for youth leaving foster care by securing $30 million in a funding bill earlier this year.
The Psalmist declares that children are a 鈥渞eward鈥� and a 鈥渉eritage from the Lord.鈥� The young are our heritage and our hope for the future, and they need our protection and service to bridge the abyss of an uncertain future after foster care. Under President Trump鈥檚 leadership and with the first lady鈥檚 vital work, HUD is coming alongside foster youth to make sure they can enter the future with certainty, hope, and everything they need to forge their own paths.
Scott Turner was confirmed by the United States Senate on Feb. 5, 2025, to be the 19th secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Turner previously led the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, driving the Opportunity Zones Initiative. A lifelong Texan, Turner represented the 33rd District in the Texas State Legislature and played nine seasons in the National Football League.聽
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