In New York City, migrant women, often with their children, sell candy and fruit on subway platforms as a way to earn money while fearing repercussions due to their immigration status. NBC News connected with Lorena, who arrived in the U.S. from Ecuador with her husband and daughter, to share her story. Despite the illegality of selling without a license, Lorena continues to do it to provide for her family. The journey to the U.S. was dangerous, and Lorena’s only goal is to give her daughter a better life.
New York City has a program called Promise NYC that provides free child care through subsidy payments to child care centers for migrant families. Algun Dia, an outreach project, found that many migrant vendors sell out of necessity due to a lack of child care options. Lorena was able to secure a spot for her daughter in a day care through this program, providing relief and hope for her family’s future.
The city has over 47,000 migrant families with children in the shelter system, and many struggle to find affordable child care options. Promoting awareness of programs like Promise NYC is crucial to ensuring that families like Lorena’s can access the support they need. Through collaboration between organizations, migrant families can receive the help they need to navigate the challenges of starting a new life in the U.S.
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