The $10 million “Promise NYC” program aims to serve 600 children between January and June 2023. The city has contracted four community organizations that will be in charge of selecting immigrant families who need help with care of their children.
Michael Appleton/Mayor’s Office of Photography
A boy in front of an emergency shelter for asylum seekers in Manhattan.
On December 14, the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, announced the launch of the “Promise NYC” program to provide childcare services for undocumented children with low-income parents in New York City.
The $10 million dollar program aims to serve 600 children between January and June 2023. The city has contracted four community organizations that will be in charge of screening and selecting the immigrant families they need to care for their children. .
The Chinese American Planning Council (CPC) will handle applicants in Queens. The Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC) will manage the program in Manhattan and the Bronx, while La Colmena will serve families on Staten Island. The Center for Family Life will launch the initiative in Brooklyn and the New York Administration for Child Services (ACS) will oversee the program.
City Limits has prepared this guide to explain how undocumented immigrants can enroll in the Promise NYC program after speaking with selected organizations and ACS.
How is the inscription process?
Parents or guardians should contact the community-based organization that covers the county where the applicants live. The organization will ask for information about family size, income, and relationship to the child.
Families are eligible if:
- Have an immigration status that is not eligible for other federally funded child care assistance programs (eligibility is based on the child’s immigration status, not the parents’).
- Children must be between 0 and 13 years old.
- They must live in New York City.
- AND live in a household whose income is equal to or less than the 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
If the child is eligible for the Promise NYC program, the organization will help parents enroll with a licensed or registered child care provider.
What documentation is needed?
There is no required documentation. The applicant submit basic information along with an application form.
“Families are not required to submit documents with their application,” said Marisa Kaufman, an ACS spokeswoman. “They must attest that all the information provided is true and accurate.”
For Brooklyn County
Family Life Center in Sunset Park. 443 39th Street, Brooklyn New York 11232.
What is the best way to apply to the program at this organization?
“Interested applicants who reside in Brooklyn should contact our Promise NYC coordinators at 718-438-9500,” explained Julia Jean-Francois, Co-Executive Director of Center for Family Life.
Since December the organization has begun accepting applications on a first-come, first-served basis. “We have received some 75 applications, which we are now examining to determine their eligibility,” added Jean-Francois.
As of January 5, the care service for 10 children has been approved. On average, Jean-Francois explains, it takes two weeks for the application to be approved. “It depends on the time the family needs to visit the daycare center and register with the provider on site.
For the counties of Manhattan and the Bronx
Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC). 45 Wadsworth Avenue. New York, NY 10033.
What is the best way to apply to the program at this organization?
It is best to contact the organization as the final details are still being worked out. “We will have several options for eligible families to contact us, including by phone, in person and online, but we are still working through these processes,” said Rodrigo Sanchez-Camus, director of legal services, organizing and advocacy at NMIC.
Sanchez-Camus believes the program will open its doors in mid-January and will publish a brochure with more information early next week.
For Queens County
Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC). 165 Eldridge Street, New York, NY 10002.
What is the best way to apply to the program at this organization?
In this organization there are several options. You can apply online through this link: https://forms.office.com/r/Sd8WjLj7wQ
You can also email Robert Calabretta, [email protected]
Or through WhatsApp to the number 934-223-9652.
The organization expects to start receiving applications in mid-January 2023, explains Sumon Chin, director of early childhood learning and welfare services at CPC.
“We anticipate the authorization application process to take about a week,” Chin said. “Locating and selecting a registered/licensed daycare provider that meets the needs of the family can be difficult or time consuming,” she added.
For Staten Island County
Beehive. 774 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island, New York 10302.
What is the best way to apply to the program at this organization?
It is best to contact the organization as the final details are still being worked out. “We are currently in the process of welcoming families back and will begin the application process with families in the coming weeks,” explained Judith Prado, Child Care Assistance Coordinator.
