‘Sesame Street’ introduces Karli, a Muppet in foster care

There’s a new Muppet in town. Sesame Street has introduced Karli, a muppet in foster care, to the neighborhood that has been educating and entertaining children for decades.

The introduction of this new character is part of an initiative from Sesame Street in Communities, a program of Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization that creates the children’s television show. This program “provides free resources for community providers and caregivers on various topics, including tough issues like homelessness and traumatic experiences.”

Also introduced to the community were Karli’s foster or “for-now” parents, Dalia and Clem.

Sesame Street in Communities released resources specific to foster care in tandem with Karli’s introduction, including bi-lingual, digital interactives and printables. The activities support parents and care providers as they support the children in their care. Their YouTube channel also features short videos to help kids understand the feelings and experiences of foster care. All of these resources and more can be found at the Sesame Street in Communities website.

All of these new releases are for a big purpose, according to Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop,

“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.”