Hungry muppet to appear on "Sesame Street"

(CBS News) 

The United States Department of Agriculture now estimates that nearly one in four children are food insecure. And now "Sesame Street" is addressing that crisis with a new child Muppet named Lily whose family has an ongoing struggle with hunger.

Lily is slated to appear in an upcoming prime-time special called "Growing Hope Against Hunger" on Oct. 9 on PBS.

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On "The Early Show," Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of outreach for Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind "Sesame Street," said the show decided to take on the issue because so many children are affected. She said, "We knew we had to do something and make a difference."

Lily the Muppet told co-anchor Erica Hill that she thought it was important for her to speak out to help other kids.

"One of the most important things for me was not feeling like I was alone," Lily said. "And the more I got involved with my community and everything, the more I felt like, not only that I was helping other families, but I just felt (it was) really important to give and reach out to people."

For more with Lily and Betancourt on "The Early Show," check out the video above.

"Sesame Street," with support from Walmart, will air "Growing Hope Against Hunger" nationwide Oct. 9, at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT on PBS. Check your local listings for details.

[sngore]

Nothing says more than having a piece of fabric tell you how it relates to you when it comes to being hungry.