Back in the ’90s, Ford Motor Company and Sesame Street came together around a shared mission: helping parents keep their little ones safe.

The partnership, called "Buckle Up with Big Bird," debuted at the New York Auto Show, where Elmo and Big Bird helped launch a national campaign.

Now, more than 25 years later, Ford and Sesame Workshop are teaming up once more, this time around a new mission: helping families prepare for extreme weather.

As a trusted voice in millions of households, Sesame Street is uniquely positioned to reach families on an issue that's become increasingly urgent. It's a natural extension of Ford's longstanding work in disaster relief and recovery, bringing that same commitment to families before disaster strikes.

National Preparedness Month is here, and Ford and Sesame Workshop are teaming up to make sure families are ready for whatever comes next: storms, tornadoes, flooding, and wildfires.

Sesame Workshop, the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street, recently launched its new Extreme Weather initiative to help children, parents, educators, and communities prepare for and recover from severe weather.

The need for this message is growing rapidly: according to RAPID national survey data, two in three parents say their family has experienced at least one extreme weather event in the past two years.

The initiative debuted with Storm on Sesame Street, a new episode following Elmo and his neighbors as they rebuild after a devastating storm — streaming now on Netflix and PBS Kids, with a YouTube release on September 25.

We're proud to join Sesame Street in bringing resources to families when they need them most.

In the coming months, Ford will host Storm on Sesame Street screening events in Ford plant communities alongside local PBS affiliate stations, inviting families to come together, learn, and pack emergency go bags.

As part of this work, Ford Building Together partners Team Rubicon and the American Red Cross — longtime collaborators in Ford's disaster preparedness, relief, and recovery efforts — will continue connecting communities with critical support before, during, and after extreme weather events.

Together, these efforts reflect Ford's longstanding commitment to showing up for communities and helping families prepare for and recover from life's unexpected challenges.

We asked Rocio Galarza, VP of Educational Programs at Sesame Workshop and the subject matter expert leading its extreme weather work, to break down how the initiative helps families prepare and rebuild.

“When we feel like we have a community around us, a circle of care, we all feel more empowered and supported.”

Rocio Galarza, Sesame Workshop

What is the Extreme Weather initiative, and what is it solving for families and communities?

This is a new effort that helps families in two ways: before extreme weather hits, by giving parents and caregivers the tools and language to talk with kids about what to expect and how to prepare, like packing a go bag together; and after an event, by helping them process what they've experienced and support one another through recovery and rebuilding.

Talking about extreme weather isn't new for Sesame Street — why was now the right moment to launch the full initiative?

The frequency of events is increasing.

Based on findings from the journal Science, we know that children born in 2020 are experiencing up to seven times more extreme weather events than children in 1960. The adults in children’s lives are asking for more tools to guide conversations about preparedness so they feel more confident talking to their kids about what to expect and how to stay safe.

Go bags are an important part of this initiative. We even see Elmo and his dad pack their own in the new episode. What is a go bag, and why are they important tools?

Go bags are essential in making sure everyone has what they need.

It has the basics (food, water, flashlights, first-aid and hygiene supplies, comfort items), but in those basics, there's something more to learn. And that's why I think the go bag is such an important strategy for us.

When families assemble bags together, it’s an educational tool that engages the whole group in the process of being prepared, rather than something that happens to them.

This initiative also includes working with other organizations to get resources directly into families' hands. Why does that kind of collaboration matter?

We never really do this alone. We do it in partnership with organizations that work with families every day. We partner with them to complement and add value to the work that they already are doing to share important messaging around extreme weather events.

What's the most important thing you hope a parent or caregiver takes away from this initiative?

What children need most is a caring, trusted adult to help them through difficult moments. When they have that, they can overcome many, many things.

When we feel like we have a community around us, a circle of care, we all feel more empowered and supported.

Learn more about go bag essentials, family preparedness resources, and Ford and Sesame Workshop’s work together at sesame.org/emergencies.

Anna Carbone shares stories as part of the Ford Philanthropy communications team.