Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, has announced that Transylvania County is the next community selected for Sesame Street in Communities (SSIC), a nationwide initiative to support parents, caregivers and community providers to give all children, especially the most vulnerable, a strong and healthy start.

Sesame Street's Count von Count and Abby Cadabby Walkarounds will celebrate the announcement at HalloweenFest in downtown Brevard on Saturday, Oct. 27, according to a press release.

Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the nation's largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health, and the Joan Ganz Fund for Vulnerable Children, Sesame Street in Communities is partnering with the Transylvania County Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) to support local families with young children under age 5. Sesame Street in Communities will train parents and providers participating in the ECI on topics, including school readiness and traumatic experiences, and Sesame resources will be available through participating Transylvania County Early Childhood Initiative Partners as part of the upcoming partnership work. Sesame Street in Communities resources will also be integrated into the Early Childhood Initiative provider's services, including those that seek to reach underserved populations of family and children throughout the county.

Established in 2015, the ECI includes local officials and community leaders who focus and align efforts surrounding the wellbeing of its youngest citizens.

Through this cohesive effort, the release said, the ECI is enhancing the capabilities of caregivers and strengthening the relationships among Transylvania County organizations and programs essential to children's lifelong learning, health and behavior.

"Transylvania County is a unique and special place. We're immensely proud that Sesame Street in Communities has chosen us as its next community," said County Manager Jaime Laughter. "There is no better investment than the health and well-being of our children. This partnership recognizes the incredible work of our ECI and the commitment of our entire community to make Transylvania County a stronger, healthier place to live for everyone."

Program participants will be able to use the Sesame Street in Communities resources through in-person events and training, virtual courses, webinars and videos to help children and families navigate challenges large and small. Using the power of the beloved Muppets of Sesame Street, the resources are designed to build coping skills and foster nurturing connections between children and the caring adults in their lives. All of these resources are available for free in English and Spanish at http://www.sesamestreetincommunities.org and through the ECI website that will be launching on Oct. 27.

"We are thrilled to launch Sesame Street in Communities in Transylvania County, a community dedicated to improving the lives of all children, particularly those most vulnerable," said Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of U.S. Social Impact, Sesame Workshop. "By working hand in hand with local partners across Transylvania County, together we can help build the circle of care that every child needs to thrive."

"Transylvania County's commitment to young children and their families is setting an example for other communities in North Carolina and across the country," said County Commissioner Page Lemel. "As only the fourth community nationwide selected by Sesame Street in Communities, we hope to inspire other rural communities to create similar programs that help all children have the healthy start they deserve."

Count Von Count Is Coming To Transylvania County

At noon on Saturday, Oct. 27, the ECI of Transylvania County organizations and Sesame Street in Communities will make a special announcement and celebrate the launch of its partnership at HalloweenFest in downtown Brevard.

Broad Street between Morgan and Jordan streets will be dedicated to fun games, and informative resources will be provided to parents of young children for the length of Halloweenfest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sesame Street's Walkarounds, Count von Count and Abby Cadabby, will join the celebration from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., providing hugs and pictures for families in front of the county administration build-ing at 101 S. Broad St.

Additional events include a costume parade and contest with two new categories, one for ages 0-5 and another for all ages in Sesame Street-themed category, with check-in from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by trick-or-treating at 1 p.m. after the ceremony.

Early Childhood Initiative

Transylvania County Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) is focused on the issues facing children aged 0-5 in Transylvania County. Started in 2015, the ECI released a State of the Young Child in Transylvania County that highlighted the unique obstacles facing its youngest citizens and why investing in young children can have positive short- and long-term economic development impacts. The initiative focuses on providing resources and tools to aid parents and caregivers that work with small children every day, collaborate to enhance services to families, and advocate for public policy improvements.

Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969.

Courtesy photo Giving young children a healthy and strong start is a focus of the partnership.

Today, Sesame Workshop has a mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger and kinder. It is active in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically-funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. For more information, visit http://www.sesameworkshop.org.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

For more than 45 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care.

It works alongside others to build a national culture of health that provides everyone in America a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org.

Joan Ganz Cooney Fund

The Joan Ganz Cooney Fund for Vulnerable Children was established in 2018 to support content development, training for service providers, research and implementation for Sesame Street in Communities.