Navigating childcare in New York City can be one of the biggest challenges for working parents—especially for families relocating from outside the city. In this episode of Let’s Move to New York, host Mark Erickson sits down with Mawena Tafa, founder and CEO of Pickup Buddy, a New York City–based startup addressing the after-school childcare gap in urban environments.

Mawena shares how her background as a lifelong New Yorker and Babson College entrepreneurship student led her to create Pickup Buddy, a service that matches parents with thoroughly vetted college students who safely escort children from school to home or after-school activities using walking and public transportation. Designed for a city where most families don’t own cars, Pickup Buddy offers a smart, flexible solution for modern urban parenting.

Listeners will learn how the platform works, how pickup buddies are screened, why childcare is uniquely challenging in NYC, and how services like Pickup Buddy can help families thrive while balancing careers, parenting, and city life. This episode is a must-listen for parents considering a move to New York City, working professionals seeking childcare solutions, and anyone interested in social entrepreneurship and family-focused innovation.

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