NYC Health + Hospitals' NYC Care Program Starts 'Light The Way' Truck Outreach Initiative To Promote Health Care Access

The truck will travel across the five boroughs, making over 24 stops over a 12-day period at events and high foot-trafficked areas to encourage NYC Care-eligible New Yorkers to enroll in the program

NYC Health + Hospitals' NYC Care is a health care access program available to all New Yorkers regardless of one's immigration status or ability to pay

Jul 21, 2026

New York, NY - NYC Health + Hospitals' NYC Care program today announced the return of the city-wide 'Light the Way Truck' outreach initiative. Starting in Fordham Heights, the Bronx, the truck will make approximately 24 stops over a 12-day period, handing out multilingual flyers and brochures on NYC Care and distributing healthy snacks, lip balm, T-shirts and other branded items. Brand ambassadors received training from the NYC Care team to prepare them to engage with community members, share key messages, and raise awareness about NYC Care. Staff members were selected and dispatched to specific neighborhoods who were able to speak the common languages of each community, including several from the Taskforce for Racial Inclusion and Equity (TRIE) Neighborhood Initiative. Languages represented among staff members include English, Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Arabic, Bengali, Mandarin, Urdu, and Hindi. The last day of the truck will be on July 31^st, kicking off the 7-year anniversary of when the program first launched in the Bronx. The initiative builds upon the program's extensive marketing currently underway, which includes subway, bus, digital, TV, radio, and newspaper ads. The new video ad for the campaign is available here, and New Yorkers are encouraged to help spread the word about the campaign through a new social media toolkit, accessible here.

Locations for the truck include:

• Community Outreach with Office of NYC Council Member Pierina Sanchez
  • Wednesday, July 22 11am-1pm
  • Kingsbridge Heights, the Bronx
• Community Outreach with Office of NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin
  • Thursday, July 23 11am-1pm
  • Midtown, Manhattan
• Community Outreach
  • Friday, July 24 11am-1pm
  • Tompkinsville Park, Staten Island
• United Sikhs Community Resource Fair
  • Sunday, July 26 12-5pm
  • South Richmond Hill, Queens
• Community Outreach
  • Monday, July 27 11am-1pm
  • Sunset Park, Brooklyn
• Korean Community Services (KCS) Hanyang Event
  • Tuesday, July 28 9:30-11:30am
  • Flushing, Queens

"I am pleased to announce the return of the 'Light the Way Truck' this summer as part of our city-wide public awareness campaign to encourage NYC Care enrollment," said Jonathan Jiménez, MD, MPH, Executive Director of NYC Care from NYC Health + Hospitals. "Thanks to the dedicated street team, we can reach even more New Yorkers where they live and work to promote health care access through events and days of action. To learn more about the program, visit NYCCare.NYC and stay tuned on our social media channels @NYCHealthSystem to see when the truck is in your neighborhood."

"All New Yorkers deserve access to quality, affordable health care, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay," said Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Faiza N. Ali. "The return of the Light the Way Trucks reflects our commitment to meeting New Yorkers where they are-with trusted information, in the languages they speak, and in the neighborhoods they call home. Through partnerships with NYC Care, we're helping ensure that every eligible New Yorker can access the health care they need with confidence. I encourage anyone who is eligible to enroll in or renew their NYC Care membership, and to help spread the word to friends, neighbors and loved ones so that more families across our city can get connected to care."

"The Light the Way Truck is back this summer, and its arrival couldn't be more timely. In a moment where our communities navigate rising costs and shifts in health care policies, we're proud to partner in this dynamic city wide campaign to boost awareness and enrollment for the NYC Care program. Its presence on the streets, paired with the commitment of our promotores, allows us to connect with even more New Yorkers and reinforce that reliable, affordable health care access is within reach," said Arline Cruz Escobar, Director of Health Programs at Make the Road NY.

"DSI International is proud to support NYC Care with its 'Light the Way truck' outreach initiative to connect New Yorkers to the program. The truck's dedicated street team will reach NYC Care-eligible New Yorkers where they work and live, while encouraging all New Yorkers to spread the word about the program. Initiatives like these help to build a healthier city for all New Yorkers, no matter their immigration status or ability to pay. Learn more by visiting NYCCare.NYC or by calling 646-692-2273(646-NYC-CARE)," said Toyin Omolola, CEO, DSI International Inc.

NYC Care has more than 130,000 active members and has provided over one million primary care appointments. A study published in 2024 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that new NYC Care members had the same health care engagement and chronic disease control as new Medicaid enrollees- demonstrating the health equity achieved through the program. NYC Care's community-based organization partners have reached over 1.4 million New Yorkers, scheduled over 62,000 enrollment appointments, and facilitated over 19,000 direct enrollments. From inaugurating a new durable medical equipment benefit to developing a multi-lingual video series about the program and deploying regular public awareness campaigns, NYC Care continues to champion health care for all New Yorkers.

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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About NYC Care
NYC Care is a health care access program that provides comprehensive and low or no-cost healthcare services through NYC Health + Hospitals for New Yorkers who cannot afford or are ineligible for health insurance. NYC Care provides a membership card, 24/7 customer service, access to comprehensive and affordable healthcare services, like primary care, mental health services, and sexual and reproductive healthcare, low-cost medications, and member materials in multiple languages - regardless of your immigration status or ability to pay. Call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) or visit NYCCare.NYC to learn more and sign up today - privacy and confidentiality guaranteed.