I’m thrilled this year to be running the New York City Marathon on behalf of Sesame Workshop. I’ve been very lucky to work for organizations where I’ve believed whole-heartedly in the mission, and now I'm going to prove it by running 26 miles for them on my day off!

The question I get asked the most is: why does Sesame Workshop need money? Well, let me spell it out. We are not owned by HBO. We are not owned by PBS. We have been an independent non-profit since the day the show first aired. And aside from the TV show, we also have a vast range of social impact programs:

- Did you know Elmo’s dad is military? We create content for military families to help children deal with the stress and trauma of deployment;

- We have a muppet named Raya who was specifically developed to teach children in sub-saharan African all about water safety;

- In 2021, we introduced a curriculum designed to help families dialogue around race and cultural identity;

- Our Ahlan Simsim program (“Welcome Sesame” in Arabic) offers learning opportunities for the millions of children across the Middle East and North Africa who have been displaced by the Syrian conflict.

These are just a few examples of the incredible work that we do. As part of my participation in the marathon, I've pledged to raise at least $2,500, butI hope you'll help me exceed that goal.

A donation of any amount makes a difference, and I've also got some fun incentives, courtesy of Sesame Workshop, my amazing husband Tyler (sadandgay.com), and my kitchen. :)

$10 - You'll get your choice of Sad And Gay fridge magnet! (btw: you'll need to use the "Other" button for this one, there's no button for $10)
$25 - You'll get a collection of FOUR Sad And Gay fridge magnets, featuring Lee, Di, Dog, and Lee again!
$50 - All the above AND you get a copy of our Sesame Workshop 50th Anniversary book!
$100 or more - All of the above AND I, Reynaldi Lindner Lolong, will send you a box of holiday cookies. If you live in reasonable distance you have the option of a cake, pie, or tart.

Fulfillment disclaimers: magnets will be mailed out between November 5 - November 30. The Sesame anniversary book will mail out within 2-3 weeks of making your contribution. Foodstuffs will deliver between Thanksgiving and Christmas based on a mutually agreed schedule. The only allergy I can accommodate are nuts.

Thank you for you support!!!! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, and in the meantime, enjoy some shirtless running photos. :-D