A pilot program aimed at helping New York's children build a foundation for their future is becoming a universal initiative.

To tackle New York City's persistent racial wealth disparity, the city will create savings plans next year for every public kindergarten student that will have a minimum deposit of $100 in each account as part of a slate of economic justice programs in honor of Juneteenth, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity (TRIE) today announced the NYC Juneteenth Economic Justice Plan

More than 1,900 students in kindergarten, first, second and third grade across five public schools in Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst and Corona will receive a $70,000 investment in their educational futures through a college savings program.

The education department is launching a training program next month for parents, paying them $500 to become �wellness ambassadors� addressing mental health needs in their school communities.�The initiative will pay the stipend to parent leaders from roughly 950 schools in neighborhoods hardest hit by the coronavirus.

Given the unprecedented day-to-day challenges and historic unemployment rates our city faces, many New Yorkers tried to end 2020 with as much of their fragile savings intact as possible. It seems beyond the imagination in this new year of challenges to think about saving for your children�s college education. However, it is just that kind