Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks last month at the construction site of a new childcare center for city workers at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building in Lower Manhattan.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Applications are now open for “The Little Apple,” the city’s first free, full-day, full-year, on-site childcare
The program has room for about 40 children ages 6 weeks to 3 years and will operate out of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building in Lower Manhattan, where more than 2,000 employees from a dozen city agencies are based.
“The dedicated public servants who keep this city running deserve high-quality, free childcare
The program will operate on the ground floor of the building’s North Tower and provide year-round care Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The $10 million renovation is underway to construct a 4,000-square-foot childcare
Imagine Early Learning Centers, which officials said has more than two decades of early childhood education, will operate the program. It currently runs 12 childcare centers across the metro area.
“With the launch of the application period and selection of the vendor to operate The Little Apple, we are taking monumental steps forward and transforming what child care looks like in a modern workforce,” Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei said. “We’re excited to work with Imagine Early Learning Centers to open the doors to the city’s first The Little Apple site this fall.”
The move builds on the mayor’s ongoing mission to provide free universal childcare in NYC. Gov. Kathy Hochul has expressed support for the program. Reps from the Mamdani administration said the pilot is expected to save parents upwards of around $20,000 a year.
How to apply and eligibility requirements
Applications for eligible families are open online now through May 15, 2026.
To be eligible, 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 three years old (as of Dec. 31, 2026).
Only one application should be submitted per family, but it may include multiple children. Officials said families will be selected by random lottery, with a limited number of seats reserved for applicants seeking five-day/week enrollment. Selected participants will be notified in June. Families not selected will be placed on a waitlist and contacted if space becomes available.
Full eligibility details and the application portal are available at nyc.gov.
