a sesame street special

Families Stand Together: Feeling Secure in Tough Times

Al Roker, Deborah Roberts and Elmo Host Original Special Featuring Jean Chatzky. Premiering September 9 at 8 pm ET/ PT on PBS

i don't think we can't go to see 9 anymore.
we go on 9.11.09.

In today’s economic climate, approximately two out of three middle class families are at high risk of sustaining or losing their economic security[1]. Moreover, increases in job loss and income cuts have made families struggle with basic costs like housing, medical care, transportation, food, clothing, and child care. Too often, parents are being forced to make difficult decisions that affect their children’s well-being. In response to these recent changes in family economics, Sesame Street is producing, in association with David Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants Incorporated and Lookalike Productions, a new PBS primetime special, Families Stand Together: Feeling Secure in Tough Times. This hour-long HD special, hosted by Al Roker, Deborah Roberts and Elmo, aims to help families with children, ages two to eight, experiencing difficult economic circumstances by offering strategies and tips that can lead to positive outcomes for their children’s physical and emotional well-being during this tough economic climate. The announcement was made by Miranda Barry, Executive Vice President, Creative for Sesame Workshop and Sesame Street’s Grover at the Television Critics Association in Pasadena, CA.


The special will air on PBS on September 9, 2009 at 8PM EST (check local listings). This initiative is made possible by the generous support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

Featuring Sesame Street’s Grover, Chris, Elmo’s family and financial expert Jean Chatzky and parenting and relationship expert Dr. Joshua Coleman, Families Stand Togetherprovides simple strategies and helpful tips that can easily be integrated into families’ everyday routines. The special includes documentary footage of real American families who are living through difficult economic conditions, encouraging positive strategies and modeling behavior for parents and care providers to support the entire family during insecure times. The special is part of a two-hour economy-focused block of programming on PBS which also includes WNED’s Your Life, Your Money aimed at young adults hosted by Donald Faison.


“For nearly 40 years, Sesame Workshop and our beloved Sesame Street Muppets have addressed educational and community needs through the creative use of media. We have never shied away from delving into deep and complex issues and finding accessible and age appropriate ways to talk about these issues with children and families,” said Gary E. Knell, President and CEO, Sesame Workshop. “We are grateful to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for acknowledging our goals with their generous funding of the television special Families Stand Together and additional resources for our families. And we are grateful for the bravery of these families depicted on the show who tell their very personal stories so others can learn from their journeys.”


“CPB is a proud partner with Sesame Workshop on behalf of the nation's families and children at a time of great economic uncertainty,” said Pat Harrison, President and CEO of CPB. “The impact of financial loss undermining family stability is taking its toll on children and we applaud Gary Knell and Sesame Workshop for recognizing the need and committing to help.”


“In these difficult financial times, we find that parents often lack the words to explain what is going on to their children and that prevents them from having the necessary conversations,” said Jean Chatzky. “Working with Sesame Workshop, we’re able to give the families in the special — and the many others watching from home — the tools they need.”

Beyond the primetime special, Sesame Workshop will extend the initiative by providing additional resources online, in print and into local communities to help guide families during these tough times. Sesame Workshop will work with PBS stations in 32 key markets to promote community screenings and to deliver 200,000 bi-lingual educational outreach kits nationwide beginning October 15, 2009.


The materials will consist of:
A bi-lingual (English/Spanish) outreach kit with a DVD featuring documentary moments of families as well as content to help children and families talk about the feelings and stresses during economic insecurity.
A printed children’s story which offers support and strategies for families during economic transitions.
A parent/caregiver guide which provides strategies on how to meet challenges as a family, ideas about how to explain difficult situations to young children, and tips on planning for the short- and long-term.


Resources and materials will be available online at www.sesameworkshop.org/toughtimes beginning September 9, 2009 so that families everywhere can view the videos and download the information.