Hochul awards $42M for the year-round Youth Employment Program in the 21 GIVE counties outside NYC, funding paid work for at least 2,500 low-income 14-to-20-year-olds through June 2027; Mid-Hudson ($11.4M) and Long Island ($8.4M) get the largest shares

Announced Sept. 23. OTDA distributes the money to county social services departments; total is $1.4M above last year to cover minimum-wage increases. Eligibility: ages 14-20, household income below 200% of the federal poverty level. Program runs Sept. 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 and must coordinate with SNUG street-outreach programs where they exist.