From Sesame Street to North Capitol Street, Cookie Monster is on the move. The beloved children’s character visited Capitol Hill Wednesday to announce the Sesame Street Outreach and United Service Organization’s upcoming tour of military bases throughout the world.
Cookie Monster was joined by USO CEO and President Sloan Gibson, Sesame Street Vice President of Outreach Initiatives and Partners Lynn Chwatsky, and several members of Congress at the event, where they also helped pack 2,000 care packages filled with food, coffee, first aid kids and magazines for soldiers serving overseas.
“When you’re on the receiving end of these packages, it really means a lot,” Congressman Tim Waltz (D-Minn.), the chairman of the Congressional USO Caucus, told those at the event.
“Even though our presence may be winding down in Afghanistan, these care packages are going to mean a lot to our troops that are in harm’s way,” Gibson added. “It’s a great way for America to say ‘thanks’.”
The tour is the latest project between the TV show and the USO – the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families has performed for families nationwide since beginning the partnership in 2008. Cookie Monster will be joined by pals Elmo and Grover on the tour, which will stop at 42 military bases in eight countries over the next six months.
According to Gibson, the tour was designed to help the kids living on the bases cope with being separated from their friends and families.
“Military kids may move eight or nine times between preschool and high school, which can be very hard on them,” Gibson said.
The tour will also feature a special character – Katie – who is the daughter of military members. When Katie is forced to leave Sesame Street and her friends behind, the other characters help her understand that everything will be ok, and that they will remain friends despite the distance.
Sesame Street has embarked on other projects in the past designed to help the children of military members. In 2006, the show sent out resource kits to families that addressed common issues with military families, like deployment and injury or death on the battlefield, according to Chwatsky.
Sesame Street has also created books, a television special on PBS, a mobile app, and a website for military families.
