New York City officials on Wednesday announced that applications are now open for a new free child care pilot program for municipal workers, marking the city’s first initiative of its kind.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Yume Kitasei said the program, called “The Little Apple,” will provide full-day, full-year, on-site child care for eligible city employees.
ABOUT NYC’S “THE LITTLE APPLE” PILOT CHILDCARE PROGRAM
The pilot will serve approximately 40 children ages 6 weeks to 3 years and will be located inside the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building in Lower Manhattan. The facility is undergoing a $10 million renovation to create a 4,000-square-foot child care center, with completion expected this fall.
Officials said the program will operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will be available to full-time Department of Citywide Administrative Services employees regardless of work location, as well as other full-time city employees assigned to 1 Centre Street.
Imagine Early Learning Centers was selected to operate the program. The provider, which is 100% employee-owned, serves more than 600 children across 12 centers in the New York metropolitan area and has more than two decades of experience in early childhood education.
APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY
Applications are open through May 15, 2026. Families will be selected through a random process, and those not chosen will be placed on a waitlist. Selected applicants are expected to be notified in June.
Eligible city employees must:
- Be a full-time DCAS employee regardless of work location or a full-time City employee who is assigned to 1 Centre Street.
- Be a parent or legal guardian of a child between the ages of 6 weeks (as of Sept. 1, 2026) and 3 years old (as of Dec. 31, 2026).
City officials said the program is designed to expand access to free child care, potentially saving working families up to $20,000 annually while improving employee retention and productivity.
The announcement is part of a broader effort by the administration to expand child care access across New York City, including plans for universal programs for younger children.
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