'Sesame Street' introduces new character Karli, muppet in foster care with 'for now' parents

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Tuesday, May 21, 2019
'Sesame Street' introduces new foster child muppet
There's a new muppet joining the cast of Sesame Street that's shedding light on foster families.

"Sesame Street" is introducing a new character and announcing a new initiative aimed at supporting kids in foster care.

Karli, the newest muppet on the children's program, is in foster care. Karli's foster mom, Dalia, explained to Karli that she and her foster dad, Clem, are taking care of her while her mom is going through a hard time.

On Monday the show introduced Karli and shared a clip in which she does an art project to show what she learned from Dalia about letting her heart grow.

In 2017, 6 out of every 1,000 children in the US. spent time in foster care, according to a press release from Sesame Workshop. In addition to introducing Karli, the initiative is providing resources with tips for foster parents.

"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," said Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Senior Vice President of US Social Impact at Sesame Workshop. "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."

May is National Foster Care Month.

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