A new friend is coming to Sesame Street! The iconic children’s show is welcoming Karli, a Muppet in foster care, as part of its Sesame Street in Communities program.

Karli and her “for-now” parents Dalia and Clem, who are also old friends of Elmo’s dad, will make appearances in three new videos—On Your Team, You Belong and A Heart Can Grow. Along with the videos, Sesame Workshop will also release The Feeling Basket storybook, feelings-centered digital interactives and tips for foster parents.

Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Senior Vice President of U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, said in a press release, “Fostering a child takes patience, resilience, and sacrifice, and we know that caring adults hold the power to buffer the effects of traumatic experiences on young children.”

Betancourt also added, “We want foster parents and providers to hear that what they do matters—they have the enormous job of building and rebuilding family structures and children’s sense of safety. By giving the adults in children’s lives the tools they need—with help from the Sesame Street Muppets—we can help both grownups and children feel seen and heard and give them a sense of hope for the future.”

Along with the introduction of Karli, and Sesame Workshop’s foster care initiative, the Sesame Street in Communities programs provides educators, child care providers and families with resources on tough topics such as trauma, grief, homelessness and much more.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Courtesy of Sesame Workshop

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