A muppet named Lily will be featured in a Sesame Street in Communities initiative aimed at helping kids cope with homelessness.

By Katelyn Newman, Staff Writer Dec. 12, 2018, at 12:01 a.m

A Muppet to Address Homelessness

Lily embraces Sofia on a “Sesame Street” production set in Astoria, New York, on Oct. 12, 2018.(RICHARD TERMINE/SESAME WORKSHOP)

WITH RED BRAIDS, PINK skin and no home, Lily is returning to the “Sesame Street” world to help children experiencing homelessness know they’re not alone.

The 7-year-old muppet first appeared on a “Sesame Street” special in 2011 when her family was struggling with hunger. She’ll now be back in town as her family stays with friends after losing their home, according to a release Wednesday by Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind the popular television series.

Through “videos, storybooks and interactive activities for families with children ages 2 to 6,” Lily is the face of a new initiative that aims to “help mitigate the impact of the trauma and stigma that result from homelessness.”

While Lily isn’t appearing on the television show itself, the resources will be available on the Sesame Street in Communities’ website.

“We know children experiencing homelessness are often caught up in a devastating cycle of trauma,” Sherri Westin, president of global impact and philanthropy at Sesame Workshop, said in a release. “We want to help disrupt that cycle by comforting children, empowering them and giving them hope for the future.”

More than 1.3 million public school students were in homeless situations at some point during the 2015-2016 school year, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s homeless assessment report for 2017.

Sesame Street in Communities – a Sesame Workshop initiative that aims “to help community providers, parents, and caregivers give children a strong and healthy start.”