Foster care alumni react to new executive order

SALT LAKE CITY — President Trump signed an executive order aimed at helping children in foster care transition into adulthood on Friday. The White House said the initiative will expand access to education, career development, housing and digital resources. But one Utah woman believes the real impact won’t come from Washington — it will come from the community. Natalie Clark, co-founder of the 1999 Collective, a network of foster care alumni and allies, knows firsthand the challenges of aging out of the system. “After foster care, I experienced homelessness three separate times," Clark said. "I was sleeping in my car in the parking lot at college." She aged out of foster care at 18, navigating adulthood without guidance. “I was all alone in that journey into adulthood without any skills or any knowledge of what to do or how to do it,” she said. While Clark eventually graduated from college and earned a master’s degree, she said the struggle highlights the need for stronger support systems. The Fostering the Future Executive Order is part of First Lady Melania Trump’s Be Best initiative. “We are going to protect American children in foster care,” President Trump said at the signing of the executive order. Clark welcomes the attention but stresses that policy is only the beginning. “I’m really glad that foster youth are coming into the discussion because we’re a population that’s oftentimes fallen under the radar,” she said. “But the conversation is only the first step.” She believes meaningful change requires everyday people stepping in to mentor and guide young adults. “I think that’s the biggest thing young people need," she said. "We need that person to be next to us and say, 'You can do this, I believe in you,' and ask the question, 'What do you want to do,' so they can figure out how to help them do it.” The Utah Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement stating it looks forward to learning more about the initiative and working with federal partners to strengthen families and help Utah’s children thrive. If you would like more information about the 1999 Collective, you can click here.

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