Every year, Sesame Place Philadelphia invites its Ambassadors to join its community outreach efforts to support the communities where we live and work through volunteerism, partnerships, financial contributions, and charitable events and donations.
African American Museum of Bucks County
The African American Museum of Bucks County (AAMBC), established in 2014, is building a permanent facility at the historic Boone Creek Farm to educate and enrich the lives of Bucks County families. Sesame Place Philadelphia is a proud sponsor of the museum and is honored to lend support as it grows and flourishes. In June of 2023, the AAMBC brought its mobile museum to Sesame Place in honor of Juneteenth in a pop-up exhibit called “The Journey to Juneteenth.” Guests were able to learn more about the holiday and its significance.
Sesame Place Philadelphia holds several blood drives each year through the American Red Cross. In 2022 alone, Sesame Place collected over 300 pints of blood to help patients in need.
Sesame Place Philadelphia and Cradles to Crayons, which provides essential items to children experiencing homelessness or are in low-income situations, first partnered in 2013 for the collection of items such as coats, clothing, car seats, and strollers. In March 2024, Sesame Place worked with Cradles to Crayons to collect new and gently used books for young readers in honor of National Reading Month.
Beginning in 2022, Sesame Place Philadelphia has supported Gather Place, an American history museum in Yardley, Pennsylvania, dedicated to preserving history, celebrating culture, and fostering community engagement in Bucks County. Through Gather Place, Sesame Place has provided a variety of volunteer opportunities to its employees.
Give Kids the World is a whimsical nonprofit resort in Central Florida that provides critically ill children and their families from around the world with life-changing weeklong wish vacations at no cost. Sesame Place Philadelphia arranges visits for wish families and has participated in Give Kids the World’s Summer Road Trip, hosting a large-scale event for alumni wish families of the greater Philadelphia area.
In 2013, Sesame Place Philadelphia introduced the Happy Tails program, which was previously launched in other parks across the United Parks & Resorts portfolio in 2010. Happy Tails is an animal adoption program that provides pet lovers two free single-day admission tickets to Sesame Place when they adopt a dog or cat from a participating animal shelter as a thank-you for helping animals in need. Since its launch, the program has helped place more than 30,000 dogs and cats in loving homes.
Kiwanis-Herald Sesame Place Classic 5k
Since 1999, Sesame Place Philadelphia has been proud to host the annual Kiwanis-Herald Sesame Place Classic 5K each spring. Sponsored by the Levittown Bristol Kiwanis Club and the Bucks County Herald, proceeds go to the Dick Dougherty Honorarium Awards program, which assists Bucks County college-bound students. As of 2023, the Sesame Place Classic has generated over $500,000 in financial aid.
Sesame Place Philadelphia partners with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant wishes of children diagnosed with critical illnesses, including hosting families at the park for their children to have a memorable experience.
In 2024, Sesame Place Philadelphia brought its team to Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, a nonprofit that provides help and a home for families of seriously ill children. During the Sesame Place Cares volunteer day, park Ambassadors helped cook a meal for pediatric patients and their families and organized an activity with the house guests.
Since 2013, Sesame Place Philadelphia has been proud to work with United Way of Bucks County. Sesame Place Ambassadors work together to provide holiday gifts for local families during United Way’s annual Holiday Adopt-A-Family event. Sesame Place previously participated in United Way’s Stuff the Bus event, providing backpacks for Bucks County students. In 2022, Sesame Place organized the first annual Back to School Bash School Supply Drive, collecting and donating more than 5,000 school supplies to assist families and school districts across the county. Sesame Place continues to support United Way of Bucks County with various drives and volunteer days.
Variety, The Children’s Charity of Delaware Valley
Since 1987, Sesame Place Philadelphia has partnered with Variety, The Children’s Charity of Delaware Valley, to provide children with disabilities and their families the opportunity to experience an exclusive day at the park filled with one-of-a-kind furry fun. For each event, Sesame Place makes special accommodations for autistic children, including designated quiet areas, low sensory shows, and volume adjustments throughout the park to ensure every child has a memorable and enjoyable experience.