Page 18 - The Indian EYE 091826

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 | The Indian Eye 18

Mayor Mamdani Opens The Little Apple,

Delivering Free Child Care to City Workers

40 children ages 6 weeks to 3 years will receive free, year-round care,

putting up to $20,000 back in the pockets of working families

OUR BUREAU also help the City recruit and retain
top talent, boost productivity and sup-
New York
port working parents.
ayor Zohran Kwame Mam-
dani and Department of The Little Apple is operated by
MCitywide Administrative Imagine Early Learning Centers,
Services (DCAS) Commissioner a 100% employee-owned pro-
Yume Kitasei today announced the
opening of The Little Apple, the vider that serves more than 600
City’s first free child care center for children at 12 child care cen-
municipal employees and their fam- ters across the New York metro-
ilies. Located on the ground floor politan area. The center is open
of the David N. Dinkins Municipal weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Building, The Little Apple will pro- and offers an evidence-based
vide free, year-round, on-site child
care to 40 children ages 6 weeks to 3 curriculum focused on ear-
years beginning Sept. 10. ly learning, socialization and
“As hundreds of thousands of healthy development.
New York City students head back to
school Thursday, 40 of our youngest “Imagine is incredibly proud to
New Yorkers will begin a new chapter have to choose between child care and ly means to meet parents where they partner with DCAS and the City of
at our City’s first free child care center a paycheck, and an important step in are, and setting the national standard New York on this pioneering invest-
for municipal workers,” said Mayor our city’s all-of-government approach for affordable and accessible care for ment in working families,” said Imag-
Mamdani. “The Little Apple is what it to universal childcare in NYC,” said our youngest.” ine Early Learning Centers CEO
looks like when a city takes care of the Emmy Liss, Executive Director of The new 4,000-square-foot facili- Laura Tulchin. “The Little Apple
people who keep it running. Our ba- the Mayor’s Office of Child Care and ty features four classrooms as well as brings together two things Imagine
bies and toddlers will spend their days Early Childhood Education. “Private a pantry, teacher’s lounge and stroller believes deeply: providing exception-
in a brand-new, joyful center where businesses for years have understood storage room. DCAS managed the al early childhood education and in-
they can learn, play and build friend- the transformative impact of employ- $10 million renovation, overseeing its vesting in the educators who make it
ships, while their parents have the er-provided child care on career de- design and construction and deliver- possible. As a 100% employee-owned
peace of mind of knowing their chil- velopment, employee retention and ing the project ahead of schedule and company, Imagine has seen firsthand
dren are safe, cared for and close by — job satisfaction, not to mention relief under budget. that when educators have a voice, a
all without having to choose between from the crushing cost of child care in By expanding access to free, on- stake and the support to thrive, chil-
quality care and making ends meet.” our city — it’s time we see those bene- site child care, the City is putting up dren and families feel the difference.”
“Child care is one of the biggest fits realized for city employees. Today, to $20,000 a year back in the pockets The David N. Dinkins Municipal
costs facing working families in New the City is demonstrating what it tru- of working families. The program will Building, one of the largest govern-
York City, and we are proud to do ment office buildings in the world,
our part in making that burden a little houses more than 2,000 employees
lighter for the employees that move across a dozen municipal agencies.
our city forward,” said DCAS Com- “Under Mayor Mamdani’s lead-
missioner Yume Kitasei. “The Little ership, we are working to make New
Apple gives city employees access to York City more equitable and afford-
free, high-quality care right where able, and that includes supporting the
they work, making it easier and more public servants who serve New York-
affordable to balance work and rais- ers every day,” said Department of
ing a family in New York City. In part- Finance Commissioner Richard Lee.
nership with the Mamdani adminis- “The Little Apple child care program
tration and Imagine Early Learning will strengthen the City workforce by
Centers, we’re proud to bring this new increasing job satisfaction, boosting
center to life and are so excited to fi- productivity and retaining top talent.
nally open the doors to families and We are proud to support this initia-
their little ones.” tive, which will help ease the cost of
“The opening of The Little Apple living for City workers and make it
is an investment in our city’s dedicat- easier for working parents to succeed
ed public servants, who will no longer both at work and at home.”

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