More than 2,000 New York City children are receiving offers for the city’s first 2-K program following thousands of applications for the free child care initiative.
Most families received one of their top choices
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that more than 5,700 families applied in the program’s first year, and it is expected to save families an average of $26,000 per year, according to a news release from the Mayor’s office.
Of the families receiving initial offers, 82% were matched with one of their top three choices, and more than half received their first choice. Mamdani initially announced the program in April, stating that most of the seats will be full-day and full-year.
With New York City’s high cost of living, thousands of families will be able to provide their children with the proper child care they need.
What did Mamdani and Hochul say about the childcare program?
“The overwhelming demand for 2-K shows what families across the city have known for years: New Yorkers need free, universal child care, and they need it now,” Mamdani said in a news release statement. “More than 5,700 families applied because affordable child care allows New York families to stay in the city they love.”
He also stated that the response followed an outreach campaign across the city to encourage families to apply.
“From our 2K for 2-K race in Fort Tryon Park to building sandcastles with families in the Rockaways, our administration traveled across the city to ensure families had the information they needed to apply,” he said. “That’s how government should work, and this is only the beginning. Together with Governor Hochul, we’ll keep expanding 2-K until every family that wants a seat can get one.”
Hochul echoed Mamdani’s remarks, highlighting the need for affordable child care for working families.
“Thousands of families across NYC are applying for childcare for their two-year-olds, making clear that this is the kind of opportunity that families have been waiting generations for,” Hochul said. “Starting a family while working full-time was nearly impossible for me, which is why I’ve made it my mission to make sure no parent has to choose between their career and their children.”
NYC plans to expand 2-K in 2027
Mamdani announced more than 2,000 free 2-K seats during his first days in office in partnership with Hochul. The inaugural seats are available at child care centers and family child care homes across five school districts, per the news release.
Families who did not receive an initial offer will receive information about waitlist options as more seats become available. Families who did not apply during the initial application period can also join waitlists.
The city plans to announce details later this year for the program’s 2027 expansion, which is expected to serve about 12,000 children, including families on Staten Island.