National Foster Care Month, 2026

President Donald J. Trump has issued a formal proclamation designating May 2026 as National Foster Care Month. The proclamation emphasizes the administration’s commitment to "nothing less than excellence" for children in the foster care system and highlights the central role of First Lady Melania Trump in driving these reforms.Key elements of the proclamation include:The President highlighted the "Fostering the Future for American Children and Families" Executive Order, which he signed in November 2025. Championed by the First Lady, this initiative focuses on:Accountability: Enacting stronger standards for the foster care system nationwide.Efficiency: Improving data sharing between agencies to ensure children do not fall through the cracks.Outcomes: Creating new pathways for young people in the system to achieve long-term success and stability.The proclamation specifically notes the expansion of the Melania Trump Fostering Youth to Independence Program.Funding: $30 million has been allocated to support housing stability.Goal: Ensuring that young people transitioning out of the foster care system are not "abandoned at the most critical moment in their lives" and have the resources necessary for independent living.The administration is working with state and local governments to address the shortage of foster homes through several specific strategies:Recruitment & Training: Rapidly recruiting foster families and providing them with better resources and training.Kinship Placement: Strengthening policies that allow children to be placed with relatives when they cannot remain safely at home.Prevention: Investing in families and communities to prevent children from entering the foster care system unnecessarily.President Trump praised the foster families, social workers, educators, and volunteers who provide stability and hope to children facing immense challenges. He described foster families as the embodiment of the American spirit through their "boundless love" and "resolute faith in the potential of future generations."The President concluded by stating that an investment in foster children is an investment in the "strength, character, and boundless future of America tomorrow." He called upon all Americans to observe the month by recommitting to the service of those children who depend on the foster care system.A Revolutionary Commitment to ReformSupport for Transitioning YouthEmpowering Families and StatesThe "American Spirit" of CaregivingCore Message