By Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MADISON SQUARE PARK — Katie Couric joined forces with Elmo at Madison Square Park on Thursday for a tree planting ceremony to honor their new joint initiative, "When Families Grieve," which provides free help for children coping with the loss of a parent.
The initiative kicks off with a PBS special that airs Apr. 14 at 8 p.m. featuring Couric and the "Sesame Street" Muppets. The program presents personal stories about dealing with the death of a parent and tips and advice for families coping with a loss.
"I think the finished product is so beautifully done and crafted and my profound hope is that it will help countless families going through the same thing," Couric told TVNewser at the event on Thursday.
After the special airs, Sesame Workshop will give out nearly one million multimedia kits to grief service providers and families suffering from loss around the country, according to Sesame Workshop.
Couric lost her husband Jay Monahan to colon cancer in 1998 when their daughters were just 2 and 6 years old. Couric believes that her personal experience with raising her girls after losing their father at a young age would help other families facing similar loss.
