Sesame Street Gets New "Food Insecure" Puppet

A new Muppet is in town on Sesame Street – but, sadly, she's got a sobering back story. New girl Lily will join the usual Sesame gang for a primetime special on hunger in America - the Department of Agriculture estimates an astonishing 17 million American children are "food insecure," meaning they have limited or uncertain access to food - and Lily herself is food insecure.

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"We felt it was best to have this new Muppet take this on in a positive way and a healthy way," said Jeanette Betancourt, a senior vice president at Sesame Workshop (the nonprofit that produces Sesame Street). Betancourt also said that considerable attention was paid to how the Muppet would look and act; for example, Lily tends to avoid eye contact and looks down when talking to others.

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The primetime special, called "Growing Hope Against Hunger," airs on October 9 on PBS. Check out a preview of Lily and the special:

Do you think a Muppet is a good way to teach children about hunger?