Sesame Workshop is continuing its efforts to assist US military families, and it’s turning to American Express credit card holders for help. AE users who register at www.membersproject.com get to vote on one of 50 potential outreach projects designed to facilitate communication between some 700,000 US children under age five and their parents who are deployed in military service. At the same time, the credit card company will donate US$1 on behalf of every registrant. After the votes are tallied on August 7, the winning project will receive US$5 million to get it going.

Ideas being floated on the site include an outreach kit with a DVD featuring Elmo and his friends, an online social network that spouses and children of military personnel can use to keep in touch, and organizing family events at hospitals and military bases.