New York City Mayor Eric Adams has launched two major initiatives to support new mothers and families, aiming to make life more affordable and to prevent homelessness and poverty among new parents. The first, the Creating Real Impact at Birth (CRIB) program, officially began on September 15, 2025. This $8.5 million pilot initiative will connect and prioritize 300 pregnant New Yorkers applying for shelter with housing subsidies to help them secure permanent housing before their babies are born. The goal is to end the cycle of babies being born into the shelter system — a situation that affected more than 2,000 infants in fiscal year 2024.
The CRIB program will identify eligible pregnant people through the Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH) intake center in the Bronx. Once identified, participants will be assigned to housing assistance programs such as CityFHEPS or Pathway Home, which provide rental subsidies or temporary housing support with friends or family. These measures are part of the Adams administration’s larger $650 million homelessness and mental health investment plan, and build on the city’s record of connecting more than 37,500 New Yorkers to permanent housing in fiscal year 2025—a 28 percent increase from the previous year.
Alongside CRIB, the city has also introduced the NYC Baby Boxes program in partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals and nonprofit partners such as Welcome Baby USA. The initiative provides families of newborns at four public hospitals—Jacobi, Lincoln, Kings County, and Elmhurst—with boxes containing essential postpartum and newborn supplies. These include diapers, wipes, clothing, baby care items, books, and educational guides, helping to reduce financial stress during the postpartum period. Around 7,000 families across New York City are expected to benefit from these baby boxes each year.
The Baby Boxes program aims to address the financial strain many families face when welcoming a new child. Research shows that nearly half of U.S. families struggle to afford diapers, and some skip meals to cover baby-related costs. By easing these expenses, the city hopes to promote maternal health, reduce stress, and ensure every parent can bring their child home with dignity.
These initiatives reflect the Adams administration’s broader commitment to supporting families and advancing gender equity. The city has expanded early childhood education, enrolling 150,000 children in its programs, reducing child care costs from $55 to $5 per week, and guaranteeing 3-K seats for every on-time applicant. Additional efforts include a $7 million expansion of the Fatherhood Initiative and a $43 million Women Forward NYC action plan to make New York City a national leader in gender equity. Together, these programs underscore the administration’s goal of making New York City the best and most equitable place in the country to raise a family.
