Free Boxes Containing Supplies and Parenting Resources Will Be Available to All Families Giving Birth at Four NYC Health + Hospitals Locations Later This Year
First Announced in Mayor Adams’ Fourth State of the City Address, Investment Builds on Adams Administration’s Efforts to Make New York City Best Place to Raise a Family
New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced details of “NYC Baby Boxes,” a new program to welcome the newest New Yorkers to the biggest extended family in the country and support New York City families by alleviating early financial stress for new parents. First announced in Mayor Adams’ 2025 State of the City, today’s announcement — seeded with an initial investment of $2.6 million — is part of the Adams administration’s commitment to making New York City the best place to raise a family.
Mayor Adams, NYC Health + Hospitals, and anchor partner United Way of New York City (UWNYC) developed a collection of postpartum and newborn supplies to include in the boxes, including diapers and wipes, clothing, bathing and feeding supplies, a “Made in NYC” onesie, and the upcoming “NYC New Family Resource Guide,” which will include links to city and community-based maternal and baby health supports. Additionally, families will receive their first book complements of UWNYC’s “Books from Birth” program. Launching later this year, NYC Baby Boxes will be distributed to every family delivering their baby at four public hospitals — NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi and NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst in Queens, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County in Brooklyn — where more than 7,000 babies are delivered each year.
“Starting a family is one of the greatest joys in life, and one that I was privileged to experience when my son was born, but it also has its challenges and financial stressors,” said Mayor Adams. “To be the best city to raise a family, we must ensure families remain connected and receive holistic support from their city government. That is why today’s announcement of new ‘NYC Baby Boxes’ to be rolled out in our public hospital system will be so important, giving families the resources and tools they need to succeed at the very start of their journeys. Our administration is ensuring that from birth through adulthood, families are supported and are able to live in a city that is affordable and safe. I commend NYC Health + Hospitals and our partners at the United Way of New York City for working with us to develop this comprehensive gift for our newest New Yorkers and their families.”
“'NYC Baby Boxes' is a beautiful new initiative that will support our families when they come home from the hospital with their baby,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “Providing supplies for mother and baby, sharing resources, and giving them what may be their baby’s first book — the baby boxes will be deeply appreciated by our patients as they navigate those early days with their newborn. I want to thank my colleagues in city government and at the United Way of New York City for their collaboration on this project.”
“Parenting is one of the most important jobs in the world, and we want New York parents to know that we’re all in this together,” said New York City Chief Innovation Officer Betsy MacLean. The ‘NYC Baby Box’ initiative is a big hug for parents and their babies, supporting them in the heady early days of new parenthood, connecting them to local resources, and letting them know they belong in their New York City family. Our power partners, NYC Health + Hospitals and United Way of New York City, know what it takes to raise a baby in the city, and we’re lucky to have them in our corner.”
“‘NYC Baby Boxes’ will have an enormous impact on our patients, supporting them through a huge transition in their lives so they can focus on what matters most: spending quality time with their babies,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Women’s Health Officer Wendy Wilcox, MD, MPH, MBA, FACOG. “We are deeply grateful to United Way of New York City and the city for developing this program and investing in our patients.”
“While becoming a new parent is an exciting time, new expenses can turn this into a challenging moment, especially when 50 percent of working age New Yorkers are already struggling to make ends meet, according to our True Cost of Living report,” said Grace Bonilla, president and CEO, United Way of New York City. “The ‘NYC Baby Boxes’ program is an important tool to ensure that parents throughout our city have the needed resources as they welcome a new baby. United Way of New York City is proud to stand alongside our partners to help bring this program to life and get the newest generation of New Yorkers and their families connected to these critical supports.”
NYC Baby Boxes respond to the new and increased expenses that come with a new baby, coupled with parents’ reduced income due to postpartum recovery and family leave. Households with children have a greater risk of struggling to meet their basic needs, and existing benefits available for families, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, do not cover all of the new baby expenses. In a national survey, nearly half of families reported struggling to afford diapers, and more than a quarter said they skipped meals to pay for diapers.
Today’s announcement builds on the Adams administration’s commitment to making New York City the best place to raise a family. Mayor Adams recently announced a $7 million expansion of the “Fatherhood Initiative,” which helps fathers reconnect with their children, provide financial support, and develop parenting skills and was another commitment made in Mayor Adams’ 2025 State of the City. Additionally, the Adams administration has taken steps to make life more affordable for families by dramatically increasing early childhood education and building sustainable programs where demand matches supply.
Under the Adams administration, a record 150,000 children are enrolled across the early childhood education system today, the out-of-pocket costs of child care subsidies have been reduced from $55 per week in 2022 to $5 per week today, and the Adams administration met its commitment to offer a seat to every child who applied for 3-K on time — the first time this has ever been done in the city’s history. The administration also invested $514 million to protect programs that were previously only temporarily funded with federal stimulus dollars. Finally, last year, Mayor Adams and leadership of the New York City Council announced a historic joint effort to strengthen early childhood education across the five boroughs and address longstanding systemic issues, while boosting enrollment and connecting families with more Pre-K and 3-K seats. The strategic plan — developed by an unprecedented joint Adams administration-Council working group, chaired by Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana J. Almanzar and New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams — is anchored by $100 million in new city investments allocated in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Adopted Budget to implement an action-oriented roadmap for outreach and seat allocation across the city. With the new $100 million investment, the total investment in the FY25 city budget for early childhood education is $3 billion.
NYC Health + Hospitals’ obstetric and gynecologic services include primary care, family planning, abortion care, prenatal through delivery care, midwifery and referrals for doula services, postpartum care, breastfeeding and lactation services, breast exams, nutrition, behavioral health referrals, preventive care, and vaccinations. Nearly 16,000 children are born at NYC Health + Hospitals each year. Gynecology services include menopause and fibroid treatments, as well as specialty practices for gynecologic cancers, pelvic pain, and endometriosis. Patients wishing to make an appointment can call 844-NYC-4NYC.
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