Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei today announced the opening of The Little Apple, the City’s first free child care center for municipal employees and their families.

Located on the ground floor of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, The Little Apple will provide free, year-round, on-site child care to 40 children ages 6 weeks to 3 years beginning Sept. 10.

“As hundreds of thousands of New York City students head back to school Thursday, 40 of our youngest New Yorkers will begin a new chapter at our City’s first free child care center for municipal workers,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The Little Apple is what it looks like when a city takes care of the people who keep it running. Our babies and toddlers will spend their days in a brand-new, joyful center where they can learn, play and build friendships, while their parents have the peace of mind of knowing their children are safe, cared for and close by — all without having to choose between quality care and making ends meet.”

“Child care is one of the biggest costs facing working families in New York City, and we are proud to do our part in making that burden a little lighter for the employees that move our city forward,” said DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei. “The Little Apple gives city employees access to free, high-quality care right where they work, making it easier and more affordable to balance work and raising a family in New York City. In partnership with the Mamdani administration and Imagine Early Learning Centers, we’re proud to bring this new center to life and are so excited to finally open the doors to families and their little ones.”

Inside The Little Apple, New York City’s new 4,000-square-foot child care center for municipal employees at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building. (Image: courtesy of the City of New York)

The new 4,000-square-foot facility features four classrooms as well as a pantry, teacher’s lounge and stroller storage room. DCAS managed the $10 million renovation, overseeing its design and construction and delivering the project ahead of schedule and under budget.

For the best of our weekly content！

There is something wrong, please try again later
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and to receive messages from Vision Times.
SIGN UP

You are now signed up for our newsletter

Check your email to complete sign up

By expanding access to free, on-site child care, the City is putting up to $20,000 a year back in the pockets of working families. The program will also help the City recruit and retain top talent, boost productivity and support working parents.

The Little Apple is operated by Imagine Early Learning Centers, a 100 percent employee-owned provider that serves more than 600 children at 12 child care centers across the New York metropolitan area. The center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and offers an evidence-based curriculum focused on early learning, socialization and healthy development.

“Imagine is incredibly proud to partner with DCAS and the City of New York on this pioneering investment in working families,” said Imagine Early Learning Centers CEO Laura Tulchin. “The Little Apple brings together two things Imagine believes deeply: providing exceptional early childhood education and investing in the educators who make it possible. As a 100 percent employee-owned company, Imagine has seen firsthand that when educators have a voice, a stake and the support to thrive, children and families feel the difference.”

The David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, one of the largest government office buildings in the world, houses more than 2,000 employees across a dozen municipal agencies.

Original article
Add as a preferred source on Google