PHILADELPHIA, June 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WHYY, the Philadelphia region’s leading public media provider, today announced the premiere of “Good Neighbor Club,” a new children’s series designed to help kids notice the world around them, think through everyday problems and spring into action to make a positive change. The show debuted on Monday, June 1, on WHYY Kids YouTube and WHYY-TV. Built on a civics-forward, empowerment-based approach for children ages 6 to 9, “Good Neighbor Club” arrives as the nation marks its 250th anniversary, a fitting moment to introduce young audiences to the value of community engagement.
“Good Neighbor Club” follows Freddie and her friends as they explore life from their home base in Uncle Mars’ garage. Each episode uses a simple “Notice – Think – Do” structure, guiding kids from observation to action. Storylines range from the small to the surprising: the origin of a mysterious sequin shirt, a water day pivot during a drought, a possible vampire next door and an election for block president. There’s always something happening in this neighborhood.
At a time when many children’s programs are centered on screens and technology, “Good Neighbor Club” is intentionally and decidedly analog. The series is created by Caitlin Corkery and the WHYY Kids Team (including Tristan Horan & Dre Reed), who also created the hit WHYY children’s show “Albie’s Elevator.” “Good Neighbor Club” is shot and made in Philadelphia, with a cast drawn entirely from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
Freddie’s neighborhood, while never named, is modeled after Germantown and features b-roll filmed across the city. Each episode is paired with lesson plans, worksheets and a zine suitable for both classroom and home use, reinforcing the show’s goal of turning young viewers into active doers.
“We want kids to feel that they are not just viewers but doers,” said Corkery. “When challenges can seem big or beyond their control, it’s powerful for children to see that they can have a real impact on their own block and with their own neighbors.”
“For more than 70 years, WHYY has been committed to strengthening civic life through lifelong learning and meaningful community engagement,” said Bill Marrazzo, president & CEO at WHYY. “’Good Neighbor Club’ brings that mission to life by showing young people that their voices matter and can help shape the communities around them.”
To celebrate the launch, WHYY hosted a free family block party on Sunday, May 31, welcoming families to meet the cast.
For more information about “Good Neighbor Club,” visit https://whyy.org/good-neighbor-club/.
About WHYY
WHYY, the Philadelphia region’s leading independent, non-commercial public media provider, has served southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and all of Delaware for more than 70 years. WHYY’s mission is to engage audiences, expand perspectives and empower communities through lifelong learning, truthful reporting, healthy dialogue and amplification of diverse voices. The station’s national production and presentation roster for public media includes “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley, the award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues; the children’s arts education series “Albie’s Elevator” and “The Infinite Art Hunt”; the weekly science and health program and podcast The Pulse; as well as a variety of documentaries, series and specials. WHYY also serves as the Local Primary 1 (LP1) station for the Philadelphia emergency alert system (EAS) operational area, acting as the region’s primary broadcaster for receiving and relaying emergency alerts to other stations and cable systems — ensuring the public receives timely and potentially lifesaving information. For more information, visit WHYY.org.
Media Contact
Gary Bramnick
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2e75f5e8-418c-4f81-8444-062548f103d3
