Sesame Workshop & Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation
Sesame Workshop
Deployments. Frequent moves. Transitioning to civilian life. It all takes a toll on service members and their families. We’re on a mission to make the move from military to civilian life smoother, especially for children.
Need
More than 43% of the enlisted service members leaving the military have children under the age of 20. While transitioning to civilian life can be difficult for adults, it can be even more challenging for young children. With limited resources available, it was difficult for transitioning families with young children to find the support they need.
Project
The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation provided a $750,000 grant to the Sesame Workshop to support its initiative, Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families. Since July 2008, this free, traveling show has used popular Sesame Street Muppets like Elmo, songs and choreography to help kids ages 2-8 express their feelings and share what they’re thinking.
Since its inception, the tour has reached approximately 250,000 transitioning families. The tour is just one of the many resources the Sesame Workshop offers to help families of active military personnel and veterans face unique challenges.
Project Leader
Jeanette Betancourt, Jeanette.Betancourt@sesame.org