First Lady Melania Trump returned to the White House Rose Garden on Thursday and used the occasion to announce a major expansion of her Fostering the Future initiative, a program that supports young Americans transitioning out of the foster care system.
Fox Corporation and IndyCar each pledged one million dollars to establish scholarships at Indiana University and Purdue University, bringing the total new commitment to two million dollars. The addition of those two schools expands Fostering the Future's network to 26 colleges and universities across the country.
"The greatest investment America can make is not in technology, infrastructure or capital markets. It's our children," Trump said at the event.
The announcement came just days before IndyCar drivers are scheduled to race through Washington, D.C., for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an event tied to America's 250th birthday. IndyCar President Doug Boles said the cars will travel at speeds exceeding 180 miles per hour, passing the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the National Mall.
A red, white, and blue IndyCar carrying the branding of the first lady's BE BEST and Fostering the Future initiatives was on display in the Rose Garden. Several IndyCar figures attended the event, including six-time series champion Scott Dixon, 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi, Graham Rahal, and Scott McLaughlin.
Trump also disclosed that a Fostering the Future scholarship recipient became the program's first doctor this past spring. "He will change the lives of so many people," she said.
The first lady opened the event with a five-word greeting to the crowd. "I heard you missed me. Here I am," Trump said, drawing laughter from the audience, which included President Donald Trump.
Trump wore a sky-blue oversized Michael Kors shirt with a popped collar, a red Dior pencil skirt, and red Manolo Blahnik suede pumps, according to Fox News. She described the IndyCar on the Rose Garden grounds as "gorgeous and powerful."
Fostering the Future focuses on helping young people who have aged out of the foster care system navigate the transition to adulthood, including access to higher education. The scholarship expansion announced Thursday represents one of the program's largest single funding commitments since its launch.
