R is for Resilience: New Sesame Workshop x Morgan Stanley Resources Support Children’s Emotional Well-Being

May 4, 2026

Through the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health, Morgan Stanley and Sesame Workshop are delivering free resources for parents and caregivers that help young children build emotional well-being.

Key Takeaways

  • Morgan Stanley has funded new multimedia resources with Sesame Workshop, including an original video about resilience, to foster emotional well-being in early childhood.
  • This collaboration supports parents and caregivers with trusted, research-informed tools.

The Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health has collaborated with Sesame Workshop – the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street – on a suite of content for families with young children to help foster emotional well-being from the start. Funded by the Alliance, the new resources feature an original video, “R is for Resilience,” with beloved character Grover. 

 

The multimedia resources feature familiar faces like Elmo, Abby Cadabby and Rosita in videos, digital and physical storybooks and a new song. The content explores mental wellness themes including resilience, growth mindset, collaborative problem-solving and active listening.

 

Through free distribution online and via early childhood networks and providers, the resources are designed to expand access to support and normalize conversations about feelings, promoting mental wellness at every stage of young children’s development. 

 

“At a time when leading pediatric organizations have identified children’s mental health as a widespread concern, Sesame Workshop’s emotional well-being initiative focuses on reaching children early, with the support of like-minded organizations,” said Lesley Bourns, Senior Vice President, Impact Programs, Sesame Workshop.

 

“Children’s health is central to Morgan Stanley’s commitment to give back to the communities where we live and work—and with rising rates of stress, anxiety and depression among youth, mental health is an increasingly urgent part of that mission,” said Joan Steinberg, President of the Morgan Stanley Foundation and CEO of the Alliance for Children’s Mental Health’s Advisory Board. “Through the Alliance, we work with leading nonprofit organizations to strengthen the mental health of young people and the adults who care for them, including providing resources for young children with Sesame Workshop to support emotional well-being from the start.”

 

Together, Morgan Stanley and Sesame Workshop are advancing scalable solutions that strengthen families, equip caregivers and help more children build a foundation to learn and thrive. Visit sesame.org/morganstanley for more resources.

 

Hello there. It is I, your cute and adorable friend, Grover, here with my friend, the letter R.

Really nice to meet you.

We will now deliver a very important message brought to you by our friends at Morgan Stanley.

Right, we will.

And that message is R is for, uh R is for ah-ha-ha-ha-ha.

What? What?

I seem to have forgotten my line.

Wait, you want me to tell you?

No, no, no, no.

No?

I, I, I, I can do this.

What?

I can do this.

Okay. Okay, I believe in you.

Ah. The message is R is for rutabaga.

Wait, rutabaga?

Yes.

No, Grover.

So eat your vegetables-

Grover

-like rutabagas-

But that's not the message, Grover

-and stay nice and healthy.

That's not the message.

But that is a good message.

I know, I know it's a good message.

What is wrong with the message?

There's nothing wrong with the message. It's just not this message. All right.

All right, fine. I will take a pause.

Good.

And take a slow deep breath in.

Okay.

And out.

That's a nice one. Mm-hmm.

And try again.

Okay. You got this.

Ah.

What?

I got it.

Yeah?

I got it.

You do?

R is for ridiculous.

Wait.

Yes.

Wait, wait, wait.

I will do something ridiculous

Grover, no

To make you laugh.

But, but, but, but-

Be right back.

But, but Grover, ridiculous is not the-- That Grover is really not giving up.

Ha, ha.Behold, a ridiculous juggling trick.

Why?

Oh. I dropped them.

Yeah, I, I see that.

I will try again.

That Grover sure is resilient. And hey, wanna know something? That's the special message. R is for resilience. When things are challenging, you can pause, breathe, and take care of yourself so you're ready to bounce back and try again. Hi.

Hi. I'm ready to try again.

Ah, see? Now that's resilience.

Okay, here we go.

Why?

Oh.

Grover.

I dropped them. I will try again.

Grover, I respect your resilience.

Okay. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

But I think this is not the reason.

I will try again.

Oh, Grover.

Whoa, whoa.

Giving Back

R is for Resilience

Grover has an important message for his friends at Morgan Stanley!

Learn More about the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children's Mental Health

Launched in 2020, the Alliance combines the resources and reach of Morgan Stanley with the knowledge and experience of our distinguished nonprofit members to address the critical challenges of stress, anxiety and depression in young people through growth capital, capacity building, seed funding and thought leadership.